Ferguson furious after Cup exit

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Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson pointed an accusing finger at referee Martin Atkinson after the FA Cup

quarter-final defeat by Portsmouth. Ferguson felt United had a penalty turned down when Sylvain Distin blocked Cristiano

Ronaldo, before Sulley Muntari's late winner from the spot.

Ferguson told MUTV: "It's absolutely ridiculous. I cannot explain it. "Managers get sacked because

of things like that and he's going to referee a game next week."

United had substitute keeper Tomasz Kuszczak, on at half-time for injured Edwin van Der Sar, sent off for a foul on Milan

Baros that led to Muntari's 78th-minute spot-kick. Ronaldo also revealed a lack of protection from officials had made him

"scared" to play his natural game. "Sometimes I say that this is the best league in the world, but sometimes they don't protect the

skilful players," said the Portuguese winger.

"After what happened to the Arsenal player Eduardo da Silva, I am scared to do my skills. "The referee against Portsmouth

was unbelievable. In the first five minutes, there were three fouls and he took no action and then he failed to give a penalty. It's

difficult to play like this. "Sometimes they just protect the defenders and I am thinking about having to change my game because

it is difficult to play like that. Diarra did not even try to play the ball when he tackled me and he wasn't even booked. It's a joke.

So often, there were fouls and the referee did nothing."

Ferguson also directed his wrath at Keith Hackectt, thegeneral manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board.

"Hackett has got a lot to answer for in this country," said the Scot. "He's not doing his job properly. He should be assessed like

everyone else is assessed. I'm assessed as a manager, the players are assessed, referees are assessed. Martin Atkinson will

referee next week, no problem, but his performance today should not be accepted in our game.(source: bbc)