Ferguson - 'Rooney dismissal unjust'

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney is being singled out for special treatment following his pre-season red card against FC Porto in Amsterdam.

Dutch referee Ruud Boosen brandished the red card in Rooney's face three minutes from half-time after the England striker caught Porto defender Pepe in the face with a leading arm as he challenged for a header.

Ferguson was quick to defend the former Everton star, saying: "There is an element of Wayne's reputation going before him. I do not know what the referee was thinking because only a minute before that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was elbowed and he didn't even warn the player."

He added: "I do not see the difference between what the Porto player did an what Wayne did apart from one of the players is called Wayne Rooney."

Rooney, who left the Amsterdam ArenA without comment, waited on the pitch for a replay of the incident on a big screen but tournament officials opted not to show the challenge again.

Ferguson continued: "Wayne was surprised.

"It was unfair because their player made a meal of the situation but unfortunately that sort of thing is endemic in our game now."

As if Rooney's dismissal was not bad enough, Ferguson was also left to reflect on a second red card, this time for veteran midfielder Paul Scholes.

Not for the first time in his career, Scholes' lack of tackling prowess proved his undoing with a woeful tackle from behind on Quaresma following only moments after a first yellow card.

"There is no excuse for Paul," admitted Ferguson. "It was a tackle from behind. Maybe it should have been a yellow card but as he had already been booked anyway, he would still have gone off."