Peacemaker Rennie put in the dock

Uriah Rennie, the referee who stepped into the middle of the latest Roy Keane controversy, is facing an official reprimand for manhandling the Manchester United captain.

Rennie, who dismissed Keane for elbowing Jason McAteer during United's draw with Sunderland on Saturday, will be taken to task by the Professional

Match Officials Games Board for restraining Keane in an earlier clash with McAteer. Far from earning praise for acting as peacemaker, Rennie will be told that he was wrong to make physical contact with Keane.

Referees' chief Philip Don will head the board at which the early-season performances of a group of officials, including Rennie, will be analysed.

But many within the game - including Sunderland manager Peter Reid and former World Cup official George Courtney - are outraged at the prospect of sanctions being taken against Rennie. Reid has contacted the referee, a martial arts expert, to praise him for his handling of the game and Courtney said: 'If his action stopped a player war, then all credit to him.

'I was always told never to place a hand on a player and that's still the official line.

'The reasons are obvious, Roy could have clocked him one.

'It was just fortunate that Ur iah was the guy in the middle. Not even Roy Keane would want to confront him.'