Man Utd's Nani hits out at Jamie Carragher over tackle
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Manchester United winger Nani has hit out at Liverpool's Jamie Carragher after his challenge on the Portuguese winger left him with a gashed leg.
Carragher was booked for the challenge in Liverpool's 3-1 win at Anfield and Nani said it was "not football."
"It is the second time he injured me. Before he put me out of the game for two months. He always tackles like that," he said.
"I don't know what he was thinking but I know what he did was not football."
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson called the tackle "disgraceful" and estimated a three-week absence for the Portuguese midfielder.
Nani, whose Old Trafford career has been blighted by a string of injuries, reacted furiously to the incident, jumping off the ground to complain to referee Phil Dowd despite having an open wound in his leg.
The 24-year-old initially thought the challenge had ended his season.
However, he recovered quickly enough to play for United in their Champions League win over Marseille this week.
I don't want protection. I just want the referees to be fairManchester United midfielder Nani"When I saw my leg for the first time, I thought my season was finished, that is why I was crying," he said.
"Afterwards, the doctor saw my leg and said I had been lucky because it just needed stitches and I would be out for two or three weeks."
Carragher attempted to apologise to Nani after the incident, but the Portuguese player was not interested.
He said he knew he was a player that opponents liked to target, but insisted he was not pleading for special treatment from officials.
"I don't want protection. I just want the referees to be fair," he said.
"If it is a red card, they have to give it. If they give the card, the next time the player doesn't make the tackle."
He also said he thought it was wrong that officials could not take retrospective action over incidents if they had seen them and dealt with them during matches.
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