The Telegraph:
Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes will be free to face Fulham in Manchester United's Premiership opener on Aug 20 due to the failure of the Dutch FA to report the pair's red cards in the Amsterdam Tournament to the Football Association.
Despite both players being dismissed by referee Ruud Bossen for violent conduct during last Friday's friendly match against FC Porto in Amsterdam, the FA had still to be contacted about the dismissals by their Dutch counterparts last night.
But the Dutch FA have confirmed that they will send the reports and they are due to arrive today or tomorrow. Should they arrive tomorrow, the three games covered by a ban would be against Watford, Tottenham and Arsenal. United will be given leave to appeal against the red cards and it is understood their case would be looked on favourably by the FA disciplinary committee.
But the Dutch FA have confirmed that they will send the reports and they are due to arrive today or tomorrow. Should they arrive tomorrow, the three games covered by a ban would be against Watford, Tottenham and Arsenal. United will be given leave to appeal against the red cards and it is understood their case would be looked on favourably by the FA disciplinary committee.
United had been hoping to receive similar treatment to that meted out to Liverpool three years ago. Back then the Dutch authorities did not report the dismissals of Steven Gerrard and Neil Mellor to the FA when they were sent off during the 2003 Amsterdam Tournament.
They were shown red cards against Galatasaray, Gerrard for dissent and Mellor for violent conduct, but neither served a ban because the Dutch failed to take the matter further.