Winston Reid insisted Manchester United's Bastian Schweinsteiger should have been sent off for deliberately elbowing the West Ham defender.
United and West Ham played out a goalless draw at Old Trafford on Saturday, though the match was overshadowed by an incident involving Reid and Schweinsteiger.
Just before half-time, Schweinsteiger and Reid came together at a corner but referee Mark Clattenburg did not reprimand the German midfielder, who appeared to strike the New Zealand international in the face.
Reid was in no doubt what action the referee should have taken, saying: "It was a red card. He knows what he's done – he's elbowed me in the face.
"The referee couldn't see it, so we move on."
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic approached the officials at the break and insisted it was a "big-time red" against the World Cup winner.
Bilic added: "He deserved to be sent off, but it's impossible for the ref to see everything. No matter how many referees you have, sometimes they can't see.
"I'm sure if he did see it, it would have been a straight red. Of course we are disappointed but it happens. He just didn't see it.
"I saw it on the replays at half-time. It was a red, a big-time red. I understand the decision but it was a crucial moment. I can't blame the referee."
