Keep tackling Paul, says Fergie

Sir Alex Ferguson has urged Paul Scholes to carry on tackling despite his red card.

The Manchester United midfielder lasted just 33 minutes of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg after receiving his marching orders for two bookable offences.

Scholes has sat out seven domestic games so far this season because of suspension, but Ferguson has no plans to stop the 32-year-old from going in for challenges.

"I don't look upon what happened to Paul on Wednesday and feel he let us down," said Ferguson.

"He won the game for us against Blackburn last weekend with a magnificent performance. If he had stayed on the pitch on Wednesday, we might have won that game too.

"But these things happen. Paul is a very influential player for us and I am not going to turn round and tell him not to tackle.

"Paul is not a bad tackler. He just does it in an English style. Some of the bookings he has had this season have been quite unfair.

"I believe it is all a question of interpretation. How you can tackle in England is not how you can tackle in Italy or Germany.

"There is a lack of understanding and knowledge of British players and Paul is suffering because of that."

Meanwhile, Ferguson has again criticised Roma stopper Cristian Chivu for his role in Scholes' sending off.

He added: "It was Chivu who got Paul sent off on Wednesday, I have no doubt about that at all.

"It was a very minor foul but Chivu went charging up to the referee and then, after Paul had been sent off, he clapped the decision and patted the referee on the back. That is unacceptable.

"Roma as a club I have no problem with but Chivu is a different breed. It was poor stuff and very disappointing."