Manchester United received unwelcome news Thursday when the Football Association confirmed that striker Wayne Rooney had accepted a guilty plea on a violent conduct charge, triggering a three-match suspension.
Rooney will be absent for Premier League fixtures against Middlesbrough and Tottenham, along with an FA Cup third-round tie against Exeter City. United chose not to contest the charge, making the ban effective immediately.
The punishment stems from an incident during Sunday's match in which Rooney pushed his hand into the face of Bolton Wanderers defender Tal Ben Haim. Ben Haim drew widespread criticism for how he responded to the contact and has since been charged with improper conduct. Bolton confirmed the club intends to appeal that charge on the defender's behalf.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in December 2004, in its own words.