As for Cole’s tackle on Ronaldo. Look closely. Cole catches Ronaldo not in the heel or the achilles but on the laces of his trailing foot. You’re certainly spot on to say he’s late and has no chance– therefore a yellow as Dean had it.

Good points on both incidents though. Cole lucky not to go off with second yellow as the uncalled penalty might well have merited yellow for tactical foul.

The sending-off not justified; Mikel in possession when tackled from front by defender– yes he raises his foot but could easily have been just in effort to stop– yellow at most if you think he used his studs deliberately. The penalty a mistake– very clever dive at pace from Saha who should be sanctioned by FA for it.

As for Cole’s tackle– good decision, his foot slides ahead of player in possession– yellow card exactly right. The Rooney shoove– another good decision, you don’t send a man off for something so slight, you have a good talk with him, just as Dean did.

On balance two decisions Dean would likely change if he could see incidents repeatedly on slow mo– but we don’t get to do that.