Premier League In Roo-in

AFTER hearing that Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has escaped FA punishment for his sickening elbow on Wigan Athletic's James McCarthy at the weekend, I can frankly say that I am appalled. What he did was no more than a vicious assault. If that happened in the middle of a town centre, police would have had the 25-year-old arrested.

But no. Because Sir Alex Ferguson has the FA sat snugly in his top pocket, the former Everton man has had a major let off. Where is the justice in that?

I can only agree with what John Hartson said on Match of the Day 2 last night. While arguing that Rooney is undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the world, we have to take into account that if it were any other player - for any other club, might I add - the FA would more than likely have taken action.

"How on earth you can defend that?" stated the former West Ham United striker. "Having seen those pictures, I do not know. We like the fact that Rooney gets stuck in, he's a really good footballer. But it's not about him. We are not singling him out here."

The FA are far to scared to persecute players who are perched alongside Fergie and his crony Mike Phelan, who said; "We can't dispute the referee's decision. He's kept the game flowing and we're happy with that."

Reading between the lines, to me that sounds as though Phelan is relieved that referee Mark Clattenburg did not see the incident - not that it is the first time an official has shown signs of blatant incompetence to show a red card to a Red Devils' player. I distinctly remember a certain Gary Neville getting away with what should have been a second yellow card at the Britannia Stadium on October 24 2010, but Andre Marriner bottled the decision and United went on to win 2-1.

Just earlier this season, Ryan Babel was strung up and charged with improper conduct for posting a picture of referee Howard Webb in a United shirt on his Twitter page following the FA Cup 3rd round tie at Old Trafford.

What the Dutchman did was a matter of opinion. Yes, it was ridiculously idiotic, but passions were running high. It is not as if he walked up to Webb and cracked him round the skull with a baseball bat or kneecapped him. If the boot was on the other foot and Rio Ferdinand had posted an image of Webb in a Liverpool shirt, would the FA have took action, or would they have cowered, scared of United's Scottish leader?

I am not saying that it is United's fault that referees are more inclined to give decisions their way, I am saying that the FA are scared of Sir Alex and the power he seems to have at the club.

It is about time that our football governing body strapped on a pair and dished out a hefty fine for what was nothing more than a brutal, thuggish attack by a stupid, moronic imbecile.