Wednesday, August 16 2006 10:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Manchester United's Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes are both banned on Tuesday (15 Aug, 2006) for three matches by the FA after losing claims for wrongful dismissal during a pre-season friendly against Porto in Amsterdam on August 4.

The bans will start from Wednesday, (23 Aug, 2006) 14 days on from the day the Football Association, the sport's governing body in England, received the match officials' report from the Dutch FA.

That means Rooney and Scholes are available for United's English Premiership opener at home to Fulham on Saturday (19 Aug, 2006) but will miss the league games away to Charlton and Watford on August 23 and 26 respectively as well as the Old Trafford encounter with Tottenham on September 9.

England internationals Rooney and Scholes are sent off for violent conduct and serious foul play respectively. "At an Independent Disciplinary Commission hearing today, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes had claims for wrongful dismissal rejected and will therefore both serve three-match suspensions," the FA says in a statement.

United are refusing to comment Tuesday (15 Aug, 2006) on the bans, but had previously been confident that both would see their red cards downgraded to bookable offences.

Earlier this week, Red Devils boss Alex Ferguson, who had said he believed Rooney was falling victim to his own tempestuous reputation, says as he confirmed United's appeal," I am surprised it has carried on this far".

Rooney appears to make contact with Portuguese player Pepe during an aerial challenge and is shown his second straight red card following his dismissal in the World Cup quarter-final against Portugal.

The striker says this week, "I feel a bit let down. 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."

Scholes is dismissed for a second bookable offence after a scything 68th-minute challenge although Ferguson says at the time, "There is no excuse for Paul, and it was a tackle from behind."