In gentlemanly fashion, football star Cristiano Ronaldo says he won´t criticise referee Rob Styles over the much publicised Old Trafford diving incident against Fulham.

United are listed at 1/10 to beat Derby this coming weekend.

The Portuguese flyer was denied a chance to score his first Manchester hat-trick after the ref judged he dived over keeper Antti Niemi.

"I respect the referee's decision but I do not have the same opinion because I thought it was a penalty," said Ronaldo.

Ronaldo was cautioned for diving but replays later suggested the ref was wrong. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said Styles had been influenced by the Fulham by the Fulham keeper.

Ronaldo stated that Styles simply got things wrong.

"I try to do my job and I try to play honestly," he said.

"If you see the replay, the goalkeeper never touched the ball, so it is frustrating the referee gave me a yellow card."

Ronaldo has been labelled with a reputation for diving which he has found difficult to shake off and his manager stated as much.

"His reputation from years ago is still playing on the minds of referees which is quite unfair because he is nothing like that now. He is more mature and a magnificent footballer.

"Why would he want to go down? He was on a hat-trick, he had gone round the keeper and he was brought down. It was a ridiculous decision," Ferguson added.

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