Preston goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann has claimed that Wayne Rooney apologised for the way he won a penalty against him in Monday's fifth round FA Cup tie.

Manchester United and England skipper Rooney went down in the box to win the spot kick after Stuckmann rushed off his line to challenge him towards the end of the game.

The incident, which led to Rooney scoring from the spot to wrap up a 3-1 win for the Red Devils at Deepdale, created a storm of controversy as the 29-year-old was accused of diving after replays showed there was no contact.

“After the game Rooney told me: ‘Sorry, it was my chance to get a penalty. I had to use that’,” Stuckmann is quoted as saying in The Sun.

The 33-year-old also had his say on the debate, which has seen England boss Roy Hodgson leap to Rooney's defence, and clarified that in his eyes it was not a foul.

“I say it clear: That was no penalty,” he added. “I also believe that if the situation had happened the other way around, one of our strikers against the United keeper, the ref wouldn’t have given the penalty. I have no doubt about that.”

When asked in the BBC studio after the match if Rooney had dived, Hodgson said: ‘Not for me. I just think he was taking evasive action.

”If you are a referee in the run of play without replays I don’t think any of us would have said it is not a penalty.

”The goalkeeper has gone with both feet. Wayne has touched it past him.”