Manchester United!!! The Dream Team

United winger Cristiano Ronaldo feels an injustice was done when he was handed a three-match ban following his sending off against Portsmouth last week because he feels he was provoked by Portsmouth's players.

The 22-year-old was given his marching orders for a fracas in the penalty area with Portsmouth's Richard Hughes.

But Cristiano feels he was provoked throughout the match by persistent fouling that went unpunished by referee Steve Bennett.

"I am frustrated because three matches is unjust," he was quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror. "I am willing to resist the provocation - but only up to a limit.

"That limit was passed at Portsmouth. It was just absurd."

Sir Alex Ferguson said Ronaldo was guilty of "falling into the trap" set by Portsmouth and should not have reacted. But he did harbour some sympathy for the Portuguese winger, saying that "some of the things that happen to him on the pitch, like the late challenges and so on, are not right”.

With a two-week international break, the three-game ban will mean a full month will have passed since Ronaldo last played for United. He misses the matches against Tottenham and Sunderland and cannot play again until the visit to Goodison Park to face Everton on 15 September.

United fans may only have seen glimpses of Brazilian midfielder Anderson's talents, but Sir Alex Ferguson is certain everyone will be impressed when he overcomes injury and make his Reds bow.

Perhaps the least known of United's four summer captures, Anderson is currently recovering from a hamstring strain and is yet to make his competitive debut for the Reds.

At just 19, he barely had time to impress at his former club FC Porto, who signed him from Brazilian side Gremio in January 2006, before United snapped him up in the summer for a fee reported to be around £20million.

He suffered a broken leg last season, further limiting his exposure at Porto, but that snapshot was enough to impress United's scouts and Sir Alex revealed that the Reds were reluctant to risk losing Anderson to a rival.

"Anderson is a fantastic talent," he told Inside United, the club's official monthly magazine. "He can play in centre midfield or in the middle in attack.

"We've taken a bit of a risk because he broke his leg last year, but we thought that if he starts the season at Porto it won't be long before everybody wants him, so we decided to do the deal in the summer.

"We've spent a fair bit of money on him and Nani, but I think the deals are good value. They'll both give us terrific attacking options."

Rio Ferdinand insists a return of just two points from their opening three games does not mean the Reds are out of this season's title race.

The doom-mongers have already moved to dismiss United as Championship contenders following their hugely disappointing and unexpected start to the campaign which has left them in 16th place.

Ferdinand is the first to admit things have not gone to plan so far, but he remains philosophical about the situation, insisting all is not lost.

"Just as we didn't think we had the league title wrapped up when we won our first four games last season, we are not going to say we've lost it because we haven't won in our first three this time," he told The Sun.

"Of course it is disappointing and we'd obviously prefer to have more points on the board. We wanted to make a good start and we haven't. But we just have to put it behind us and move on. There's no point looking back, it's about the future.

"Once we get a win under our belts more confidence will come. There is plenty of character at United but we need to get that victory as soon as possible. Hopefully, it'll come against Spurs on Sunday."

The enforced absence of Wayne Rooney because of a broken foot has left the Reds a little light up front with Carlos Tevez the only fit and recognised striker in the squad. Ferdinand concedes that Rooney's loss is a big one, but insists it's a situation the team simply have to live with.

"Players will always get injured and you have to adapt," he continued. "Wayne is a great player and you would prefer to have him in the team than see him on the sidelines.

"It's disappointing for Wazza to be out again. He has had a lot of bad luck with foot injuries. But he is not the sort of lad who gets too depressed.

"You have to get on with it and it is a chance for others to show what they can do."

Wayne Rooney's fractured foot, married to United's profligate early-season form in front of goal, has prompted the inevitable wave of late-summer transfer speculation.

With the transfer window closing until January on August 31, the common concensus is that Bolton's Nicolas Anelka could be the subject of a United bid. The Sun, however, buck the trend and credit the Reds with an interest in Newcastle and Nigeria star Obafemi Martins, who allegedly has a release clause in his contract which would be triggered by a £13million bid.

Although Kieran Richardson, Alan Smith and Giuseppe Rossi have already been sold this summer, funds for such a new striker could well be provided by the sale of Gabriel Heinze. As well as Liverpool's high-profile interest, the likes of Lyon and Juventus are also allegedly monitoring his availability.

Gabriel Heinze has lost his case to force through a move to Liverpool, after a Premier League arbitration panel ruled in United's favour on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old left-back claimed that he should be allowed to move to Anfield - a transfer that has not been made since Phil Chisnal left for Liverpool in 1964 - because of a letter his advisors received from United which enabled him to join another club if his asking price was met.

Heinze took legal advice after United rejected an offer from Liverpool for the Argentine international, but as the Premier League ruled on Tuesday, the letter was "unambiguous in that it envisages only an international transfer".

The Premier League announced on Tuesday afternoon: "The Premier League panel has heard submissions of evidence from both parties and has ruled to dismiss the player's case."

A United spokesman told ManUtd.com: "The Club is pleased that the panel has endorsed its case."

In a two-day hearing on Monday and Tuesday, the panel concluded that "the nature and intention of the disputed 13 June letter, especially when taken in context of verbal discussions and Manchester United's transfer policy, was unambiguous in that it envisages only an international transfer.

"Furthermore the hearing finds the letter constitutes an 'agreement to agree', and did not create an obligation or binding agreement for the club to transfer the player to any particular club.

"In other words the letter is evidence of an intention to negotiate, both between the parties and with potential buying clubs, and not evidence of any intention to create legal relations."