The Football Association have requested a copy of Sir Alex Ferguson's post-match interview with MUTV from Tuesday's encounter with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Ferguson will learn by 4pm tomorrow whether he will be charged with improper conduct for his attack on referee Martin Atkinson.

Although the United manager's comments on Sky Sports were critical of the official, it is the ones to his club's own in-house station where the FA believe he may have crossed the line by raising a question about Atkinson's integrity.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...rguson-rant.do

Fergie set for trial by TV over ref rant

ALEX FERGUSON faces 'trial by TV' after the FA demanded to see film footage of his Stamford Bridge rant against referee Martin Atkinson.

And the refs' union also demanded the Manchester United boss apologise publicly or come clean on why he thinks Atkinson is incompetent.

FA chiefs have until 4pm on Friday to decide whether to hit Fergie with an improper conduct charge for questioning Atkinson's 'strength and fairness' after United controversially lost 2-1 at Chelsea on Tuesday night.

Ferguson already has a suspended two-match touchline ban hanging over him from blasting ref Alan Wiley in October 2009 and labelling him 'unfit'.

Alan Leighton, national secretary of refs' body Prospect, blasted: "Alex Ferguson should come out and clarify exactly what he meant with his comments.

"I dread to think any manager seriously believes in the cold light of day that any referee is unfair or biased.

"That is an attack on the very fabric of the game.

"He should explain what he means or else it would be very helpful if he were to apologise for any implication that Martin Atkinson is unfair or biased."

Fuming Fergie hit out after his team threw away a lead in a second-half collapse at Stamford Bridge.

He was furious Chelsea defender David Luiz went unpunished for a foul on United striker Wayne Rooney and claims the match-winning penalty should not have been given.

After the match, Ferguson raged: "It was a major game for both clubs and you want a fair referee, you know... you want a strong referee anyway and we didn't get that.

"I don't know why he got the game. I feared the worst when I saw who was refereeing."

Atkinson took charge of the corresponding fixture last season when Chelsea won 1-0 and drew stinging criticism from the Old Trafford manager.

Ferguson added: "That is three years in a row now where the referee's decisions have changed the game down here. And that's hard to take.

"The penalty was so soft. It was a great performance from us and we didn't deserve that."

The Scot will be clobbered if found guilty, as even implying bias from a ref is taken extremely seriously.

Fergie faces the prospect of a huge fine and the possibility of a FOUR-GAME ban at a crucial point in the season as he bids to win back the title from champions Chelsea.

Leighton added: "When we see comments like that, we're starting down a road which is putting pressure on the referees' governing body not to put certain officials on duty at certain clubs.

"Referees can make honest mistakes and can accept honest criticism."


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...eree-rant.html