City to appeal Kompany red card

Manchester City will appeal the red card shown to Vincent Kompany in the FA Cup third round defeat on Sunday.

City captain Kompany was sent off in the 12th minute at the Etihad Stadium for a two-footed challenge on United winger Nani as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side booked their place in the fourth round with a 3-2 victory.

City manager Roberto Mancini refused to criticise referee Chris Foy for fear of a touchline ban but was clearly furious as he faced up to the prospect of losing Kompany for four matches through suspension.

“The red card for Vinnie? It’s impossible. I will appeal,” Mancini told reporters.

“I am sure that we will an appeal, I’m sure. If you can explain to me why he showed a red card.”

“I think every man can understand if it was correct or not. But now it’s finished.”

“I don’t want to talk about the referee because I want to stay on the bench for the next game.”?

United took a 3-0 lead in the first-half thanks to Wayne Rooney’s double either side of a Danny Welbeck volley, but 10-man City fought back in the second-half and nearly claimed a draw after goals from Aleksandar Kolarov and Sergio Aguero.

Mancini said the spirit showed by his side proved City, the league leaders, can win their first title in 44 years this season.

“I think today is important for us for the league,” Mancini said.

“I think now we can win the league. United is a top squad in England and if we play like this afternoon against them with 10 players and we have the same attitude, the same strength in every game, we will win the league.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson agreed with the referee’s decision to send off Kompany.

“It was a two-footed tackle,” he told ITV.

“I think it was a red card, absolutely – I’ve seen him do it before.”

“Maybe he’s got off with it in the past, but we’re lucky because if he makes contact with Nani, he’s got a problem.”

“It would have been a real bad one. I think the referee was right in that instance.”

Ferguson was critical of a ‘careless’ second-half performance from United.

“I think we made them better than they were with our carelessness in the second half,” he said.

“I think the problem was, at 3-0 up at half-time, we thought we were through. We took our foot off the pedal, lost possession just after half-time, gave away the free-kick and they scored.”