Man Utd striker backs Green

Green has been under fire following his blunder on Clint Dempsey’s goal in the 1-1 draw with the USA.

Owen wrote in The Telegraph: “I know Rob walked into the dressing room and held his hands up.

“I wouldn’t have felt the need to apologise if I was him. He was just trying to stop a ball that squirmed around.

“I’m all for accepting responsibility but if I got into positions as a striker, and missed three or four chances, I have never come in and said to the lads: ‘Sorry, the defeat was my fault, I should have scored all those chances’. That happens. That’s life. There’s no blame.

“Rob would have walked in to the dressing room, felt everybody looking at him, and thought the world has collapsed around him.

“He won’t be able to think straight. Even if he has a great game in the next match he would be tarred for the rest of the tournament certainly and, potentially, for the rest of his career for something I wouldn’t blame him for.

“If he plays against Algeria, the senior players must pretend the US goal never happened when talking to Rob.

“Don’t mention it. Just look forward to the next game, take his mind off it as much as possible.

“No professional would blame Robert Green for what happened. That’s what happens on the world stage.”