Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has confirmed the club intends to appeal against Vincent Kompany’s red card in the 3-2 defeat to Manchester United yesterday.
Defender Kompany was sent off for a tackle on Nani 11 minutes into the FA Cup third-round tie. The City captain who has already been sent off for a straight red card offence once this season, is facing a four-match ban unless he can overturn the suspension.
‘’We will appeal,’’ said Mancini. ‘’I am sure we will win.’’
Mancini opted not to criticise referee Chris Foy. However, he thinks little can be read into the defence offered almost immediately by former top-flight official Dermot Gallagher, who claimed Foy got it right.
‘’This is normal. If I talk about the players, I defend the player. The referee is the same. He defends the referee,’’ said Mancini. ‘’I don’t want to talk about the referee because I want to stay on the bench for the next game. But I think it is impossible.’’
Kompany stands to miss both legs of the Carling Cup semi-final with Liverpool, in addition to Premier League games against Wigan and Tottenham.
Sir Alex Ferguson said it was the right decision and that Kompany has been guilty of similar transgressions before.
‘’It was a sending-off,’’ said the Manchester United boss. ‘’It was a two-footed tackle. I have seen him do it before. He has got off with it in the past. But if Nani gets caught, he has a problem. It was a real bad one.’’
But, Mancini is also angry that Wayne Rooney gestured to referee Chris Foy in the aftermath of Kompany’s challenge, seemingly encouraging the referee to dismiss the Belgian.
Mancini, vilified for waving an imaginary red card during the win over Liverpool on Tuesday, said: ‘’When I did this against Liverpool, people told me not to do it. I said I was sorry and made a mistake.’’