Roy Hodgson has claimed that striker Andy Johnson was unlucky to be sent off during yesterday 2-1 win for West Ham.
Johnson received his marching orders in first half injury time for going through Lucas Neill as the United captain attempted to clear the ball on the edge of West Ham's area. Hodgson claimed that match official Andre Marriner's decision was 'unfortunate', whilst pleading with the referee to overturn the decision."I've looked at it again on the video after the game," said Hodgson. "I see it as Andy trying to block the ball and Lucas Neill actually catching him on his follow through as he cleared the ball.
"He's caught Andy Johnson rather than Andy Johnson hitting Lucas Neill. So it's an unfortunate sending off, that one.
"I can understand from the referee's positioning it's not easy to see those things clearly but I hope he'll look at the video evidence and see that in actual fact, it was the other way round - not Andy kicking Lucas Neill."
Hodgson failed to comment on Johnson's horrific 'studs up' tackle on Herita Ilunga for which the former Everton forward received his first yellow card after 20 minutes - a tackle which many observers felt was deserving of a straight red card.
However he admitted that he felt his side were unlucky to lose the game.
"We did so well over the 90 minutes in terms of our attacking play, dominating possession and creating chances," he added.
"But in three minutes the game was turned on its head by conceding two goals which we shouldn't and having a player sent off. If I was to dismiss those three minutes of the game I would have been quite happy with the other 87 minutes.
"The shot and possession statistics will have been very, very good for us - even when we were playing with ten men. But it's the result that counts and West Ham have got that, we haven't.
"We did exceptionally well; the work rate in the second half was fantastic. We created chances even with ten men. Of course in the last five or six minutes there's always going to be the odd counter-attack chance - especially when you throw yet another man up front.
"Over the course of the 90 minutes I don't have any reason to be particularly angry or disappointed by the way the team played. But of course, I'm very saddened by the result."
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