He said: "If he's not allowed to play for us then how can he be allowed to play for England? He won't be playing.
"I am disappointed. If I had the slightest hint that he was guilty then I would not have come here today to defend him.
"It was a mis-timed tackle. That's all. It was an accident and these things happen in football. It wasn't a malicious tackle and even David Moyes admitted that.
"He has been playing well so this is a blow for us. But we won't let these sort of things destroy us. We will be strong."