Sir Alex defends Ronaldo

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson has defended Cristiano Ronaldo after the World Player of the Year was sent off for an apparent deliberate handball.

Sir Alex said: "He was trying to protect himself from the ball hitting him in the face.

"He thought he had heard a whistle, he got a little push as well and it is not as if he punched the ball.

"If that had been outside the box, it would have been a free-kick and nothing else, but the crowd played a part and he got sent off.

"Sometimes you have to overcome these things and we overcame a lot."