Manchester United ace Wayne Rooney denies he waved an imaginary card at ref Chris Foy before the sending off of Vincent Kompany on Sunday.

Rooney has hit back at Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, who claimed that the Manchester United striker deliberately pressured referee Foy into dismissing his skipper.

Rooney appeared to signal to the official before Kompany was red-carded for a two-footed tackle on Nani in Sunday's explosive FA Cup third-round clash at the Etihad.

But he explained to The Sun: "I didn't wave any imaginary card. I clearly pointed out, and a few other players did as well, that it was a two-footed tackle. It was down to the ref to send him off.

"As professional footballers, when you leave the ground and go in two-footed we've now been told by the referees it's a red card. Refs come and see us before the season starts. I felt Kompany had done that."