Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has dismissed Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini’s claim that he influenced the sending off of Vincent Kompany on Sunday.

Mancini felt Rooney pressured referee Chris Foy into showing a red card after Kompany was penalised for a two-footed challenge on Nani with just 12 minutes of an explosive FA Cup tie gone.

Rooney yesterday used Twitter to express his thoughts on the matter.

The England forward wrote: “Funny how people think i got kompany sent off. Im not ref. i didn’t give red card. But it was a clear red card. 2 footed tackle.”

Mancini himself was criticised for waving an imaginary card after an incident in his side’s defeat of Liverpool last week.

The Italian felt Rooney’s actions were of a similar nature.

“It was not a red card. Rooney told him his decision. When I did this against Liverpool, people told me not to do it. I said I was sorry and made a mistake,” he said.

With their influential captain now facing a four-match suspension, City yesterday appealed against Kompany’s sending off.

If it proves unsuccessful, City will have to make do without Kompany for both legs of their League Cup semi-final with Liverpool and Premier League games against Wigan and Tottenham.

With Kolo Toure at the Africa Cup, that would leave Joleon Lescott and Stefan Savic as Mancini’s first-choice centre-half pairing.