Rooney was sent off for the sixth time in his career after kicking out at West Ham midfielder Stewart Downing.
Van Gaal said: "[It was] the right card. I could imagine why he did it."
Rooney, 28, will now miss three games, including a home fixture against Premier League leaders Chelsea.
The dismissal was the third of Rooney's United career -
a day before the 10th anniversary of his debut for the club following
his £25.6m move from Everton.
He was sent off once while at the Goodison club, and has picked up two red cards while playing for England.
His last red card came in an international for England against Montenegro in 2011, with his most recent dismissal in the Premier League a sending-off for United against Fulham at Old Trafford in March, 2009.
Rooney's foul on Downing - as the West Ham man looked
to break - came in the 59th minute after he had earlier put United ahead
with his 176th Premier League goal - overtaking Thierry Henry's total
to put him third on the competition's all-time scoring list.
"It will be a great miss, as he played very well and I was very pleased with him," added Van Gaal, who was overseeing only his second win as United manager.
"I think you have to do it in a more friendly way and that is the only thing that I can say.
"I call that a professional foul. Maybe you don't want to hear it but in professional football you make professional fouls."
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was not so forgiving of the officials, claiming a late header from Kevin Nolan should not have been ruled out.
Nolan thought he had equalised when converting a Carl Jenkinson cross but was ruled to have been offside by an assistant referee.
Allardyce said: "Somebody was suggesting his head's offside. If he can see that his head's offside there, then he is a superhuman being for me.
"I thought it was onside. I don't think there's any doubt in my mind."
Van Gaal said: "[It was] the right card. I could imagine why he did it."
Rooney, 28, will now miss three games, including a home fixture against Premier League leaders Chelsea.
BBC pundit Phil Neville on Match of the Day |
|---|
|
"When Rooney made the foul, I thought United must have been
in trouble at the back. But they were four against two and all the
defenders were in good positions. It's just a reckless tackle. There's
no need to make the foul because of the position the United defenders
were in." |
He was sent off once while at the Goodison club, and has picked up two red cards while playing for England.
His last red card came in an international for England against Montenegro in 2011, with his most recent dismissal in the Premier League a sending-off for United against Fulham at Old Trafford in March, 2009.
Wayne Rooney's red cards |
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|---|---|
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27 Sep 2014 - Man Utd v West Ham (W 2-1, Premier League) |
1 July 2006 - England v Portugal (0-0, L 1-3 pens, World Cup) |
|
7 Oct 2011 - England in Montenegro (2-2, Euro 2012 qualifier) |
14 Sep 2005 - Manchester United at Villarreal (0-0, Champions League) |
|
21 Mar 2009 - Manchester United at Fulham (L 0-2, Premier League) |
26 Dec 2002 - Everton at Birmingham (1-1, Premier League) |
Play media
As well as missing the Chelsea game, he will also be
suspended for matches at home to Everton and away to West Bromwich
Albion either side of the next international break.
Offside decision wrong - Allardyce
"It will be a great miss, as he played very well and I was very pleased with him," added Van Gaal, who was overseeing only his second win as United manager.
"I think you have to do it in a more friendly way and that is the only thing that I can say.
"I call that a professional foul. Maybe you don't want to hear it but in professional football you make professional fouls."
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was not so forgiving of the officials, claiming a late header from Kevin Nolan should not have been ruled out.
Nolan thought he had equalised when converting a Carl Jenkinson cross but was ruled to have been offside by an assistant referee.
Allardyce said: "Somebody was suggesting his head's offside. If he can see that his head's offside there, then he is a superhuman being for me.
"I thought it was onside. I don't think there's any doubt in my mind."
Rooney was sent off for the sixth time in his career for a foul on West Ham's Stewart Downing
Rooney cannot play again for Manchester United until the derby at the Etihad Stadium on 2 November
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