Rooney gutted at unjust ban

Wayne Rooney has spoken of his disappointment at The FA's decision.

Wayne Rooney has admitted he is gutted by the Football Association's decision to upheld the red card he received in a pre-season friendly.

The Manchester United striker, along with team-mate Paul Scholes, saw red in the game against Porto in Amsterdam earlier in the month and as a consequence, the pair were handed three-match bans.

Both players elected to appeal their respective bans - reportedly confident that they would be overturned - but The FA's independent disciplinary commission have instead decided to support the decision made by the match referee Ruud Bossen.

Rooney was sent-off for a trailing arm that appeared to strike Porto's Pepe, but the influential 20-year-old insists that there was no malice in the challenge, continuing to confirm his utmost disappointment at the verdict.

"I'm gutted with that decision,'' he told The Sun.

"I'm extremely disappointed to miss any games over that. It was the wrong decision to send me off.

"I never want to miss a game and certainly not for a harsh decision like that.

"You only have to look at the video to see I only had eyes for the ball."

While Rooney will be able to take part in United's opener against Fulham, he will be forced to sit out their next three games.

Rooney is of the opinion that this decision is indicative of a desire to drive combative styles of play out of the game.

''Unfortunately, football is getting more and more where you cannot touch an opponent," he added.

"You see red cards now that would not even be fouls in years gone by.

"It's disappointing the way it has gone, but you have to get on with it.

''The way I play football will not change. I'm determined. I want to win every ball and every challenge I go into."