Manchester United duo Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes have been handed three-match bans following their dismissals in a preseason tournament in Amsterdam earlier this month. Fergie was convinced the pair would be free from suspension once the club’s appeal was heard by an independent disciplinary committee. Not so. The loss of two probable starters coupled with the injury to new signing Michael Carrick leaves United in a vulnerable position as the Premiership opens this weekend. The Manchester United boss was convinced the players’ punishments would be downgraded to yellow-card offences, saying that Wayne Rooney, in particular, is starting to suffer from his own reputation; he added that Paul Scholes, however, deserved what he got. Said Rooney: “I feel a bit let down. If you watch the video, I did not take my eyes off the ball once. On the way down, my hands brushed against the player. There was not much contact but the lad went down and stayed down.” Their bans begin Wednesday August 23rd.