Rooney hit with two-match ban

Wayne Rooney will miss this month's FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City after he failed in an attempt to reduce the severity of a two-match ban imposed following his four-letter reaction to scoring a hat-trick at West Ham on Saturday.

The Football Association opted not to release the outcome of yesterday's disciplinary hearing immediately following a request by Manchester United, who did not wish to suffer any disruption to their preparation for last night's UEFA Champions League encounter with Chelsea.

Rooney scored the only goal at Stamford Bridge but has now learned he will miss Saturday's Premier League encounter with Fulham at Old Trafford, then the Wembley meeting with City on 16 April, with the FA merely confirming their original punishment.

"A Regulatory Commission has suspended Manchester United's Wayne Rooney for two matches," read a statement issued by the FA this morning. "Rooney had admitted a charge for the use of offensive, insulting and/or abusive language, but claimed that the automatic penalty of two games was clearly excessive.

"The Commission did not accept the claim and Rooney will begin the standard two-match suspension with immediate effect. The charge relates to an incident during his side's fixture with West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 2 April 2011."

At least Rooney will be eligible to play in the return leg against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Tuesday. However, his absence is a blow to Ferguson, particularly for the City encounter given the 25-year-old's remarkable winner against them in February.

In a statement reacting to the decision, Rooney was clearly upset that he had failed in his appeal and would be missing the huge game with their local rivals. He said: "I am gutted to miss two matches, one of which is an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. "I am not the first player to have sworn on TV and I won't be the last.

"Unlike others who have been caught swearing on camera, I apologised immediately. And yet I am the only person banned for swearing. That doesn't seem right. Whatever, I have to accept that what's happened has happened and move on from here. That is what I intend to do."
Manchester United similarly expressed their "disappointment" at the ban shortly after it was confirmed. "Manchester United is clearly very disappointed with the decision," said a statement issued by the Old Trafford outfit.

"The club put forward a very strong case to have the punishment reduced, which was unsuccessful. Wayne apologised immediately after the match and the club now wishes to move to on to what hopefully will be a very exciting conclusion to the season."

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is now just targeting the Champions League

An entertaining 1-1 draw at Stoke City left the Blues 11 points behind Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United and even with a match in hand that appears too big a gap to close.

However, Chelsea face United in the quarter-finals of Europe's premier club competition on Wednesday with Ancelotti admitting that now represents their best chance of silverware.

"In the Champions League we are at the same level of the other teams so we have more chance to win" ~ Carlo Ancelotti.

 Best team

"It is a very important game, obviously, but I think we have to be happy to be involved in this game," said the Italian.

"Everyone is waiting for this game. We want to do our best and want to show our best ability and we know there are 180 minutes to play and we hope to win.

"In the title race we have to close the gap, in the Champions League we are at the same level of the other teams so we have more chance to win.

"It will not be a surprise to play against them, they know us very well and we know them very well.

"We have to play our football and I think we will do better. We will have a very exciting game against United, they are one of the best teams in Europe.

"It was important (at Stoke) to see the team in good condition and without injury so we can prepare well for this next game."