Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted that Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey deserved his red card during the Red Devils’ 2-1 victory at Anfield and claimed that the 20-year-old tried to blame him for his dismissal.

Ferguson’s side were able to scrape the win thanks to Robin van Persie’s penalty in 81st minute after the Reds had been reduced to ten men in the first-half.
Shelvey vented his anger at the United boss as he was leaving the field and posted on Twitter after the match claiming that the 70-year-old had contributed to the referee’s decision to award a red card.

“Jonjo Shelvey’s sending off was a clear red card, there was a dangerous attempt to go for the ball,” Ferguson told the BBC. “Jonny Evans went for the ball and got it, and I don’t think there was any other decision the referee could make.”

He continued: “He was trying to blame me I suppose [when leaving the pitch]. He is responsible for his own actions, there is no question about that.”

The experienced manager admitted that he was not pleased with his side’s performance but expressed his delight at sealing an important result at Anfield.

“It is a great result for us but we did not play well,” he admitted. “In the first half Liverpool dominated us, in the second half we had better possession but they had 10 men, we can’t take great credit for that. But a win is a win, we are pleased with the result, but not the performance.”