Crerand blasts 'disgraceful' bans

Manchester United legend Paddy Crerand has branded the three-match bans for Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes as 'a disgrace'.

The Old Trafford club were staggered to learn that both Rooney and Scholes must sit out the Premiership encounters with Charlton and Watford later this month, plus the September 9 meeting with Tottenham as a result of their respective dismissals in the pre-season win over Porto in Amsterdam earlier this month.

Noting Liverpool pair Steven Gerrard and Neil Mellor escaped any sanction for being sent off in the same competition three years ago, Crerand said: "I have been saying this for a long time, and now people must agree, there is one rule for Manchester United and another for everybody else. This decision is an absolute disgrace."

He added: "In effect, it is a four-match ban because Wayne and Paul were suspended for the second game in Amsterdam anyway.

"I know Wayne and Paul will be raging, the manager will be raging and United fans will be raging.

"How can you keep a cool head when an injustice like this has been done?"

With Rooney already a major doubt for the opening Premiership clash of the season against Fulham on Sunday after picking up a minor groin strain, Ferguson is already facing a big dilemma over his strikeforce.

Having opted not to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy during the summer and with Alan Smith still to fully recover from a double break of his leg, Louis Saha is currently United's only fully fit, experienced, recognised front man.

Ferguson must now decide whether to pair the Frenchman with untested youngster Giuseppe Rossi, as he did for the final match of last season against Charlton, or deploy Cristiano Ronaldo in a more advanced role similar to the one he occupied in the friendly win over Sevilla at the weekend.