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Man Utd boss Ferguson: Ronaldo deserved his yellow for diving

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had no complaints with Cristiano Ronaldo being booked for diving in yesterday's victory over Blackburn Rovers.

"He wasn't fortunate to be on the pitch at all," Ferguson told manutd.com, responding to Setanta's claim that Ronaldo should have been sent off.

"The referee spoke to him when Ronaldo flicked out [on a challenge on David Dunn]. The boy kicked him, Ronaldo flicked out but it was no more than that. The referee thought it was fine and gave him a warning.

"You see it time and time again with Ronaldo, the press will make a meal of it. He has to live with that kind of examination. But it would have been a ridiculous sending off.

"Ronaldo got booked for diving, quite right. What did Pedersen do? It was an absolute dive, yet he's not been booked. He either gives a penalty or he books Pedersen. It's either or. It was nowhere near a penalty kick. Rafa came behind him, and his hand touched the Pedersen's shoulder, and as soon as he felt it he immediately dives. I don't understand why he doesn't get a yellow card but Ronaldo does. It's not right."

On Ronaldo's stunning winner, Ferguson enthused: "He's done it so many times before.

"It was a fantastic strike. I think the fact that there were so many bodies in the box and in front of the ball, it gave the goalkeeper no chance. He hit it with such speed and bend on the ball that it was very difficult for [Paul Robinson]. It was a fantastic strike."

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