Fergie and Queiroz cleared of ref slur after Pompey defeat but FA plan appeal

An independent four-man commission cleared Ferguson and Queiroz after they publicly questioned the integrity of referee Martin Atkinson after United's FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth in March.

Cleared: Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson (right) with assistant Carlos Queiroz

Ferguson's outburst even escalated into a full-scale rant at referees' chief Keith Hackett. Last night an FA spokesman said: "We are surprised and disappointed by the verdict."

The rules were changed last summer to allow the FA to appeal if they feel a judgment is radically wrong. A decision will be made by early next week at the latest, with any challenge to be heard by a three-man independent panel.

Ferguson was incensed after seeing Sulley Muntari score the only goal from the spot to put Pompey into the semifinals when he felt United had earlier been denied a blatant penalty for Sylvain Distin's block on Cristiano Ronaldo.

"It's absolutely ridiculous," he fumed. "I cannot explain it. Managers get sacked because of things like that and he's going to referee a game next week. That performance should not be accepted by our game."

After claiming Portsmouth were encouraged because they knew the referee "was on their side", Ferguson turned his fury on Hackett, the man in charge of the Professional Game Match Officials Board.

"I think Keith Hackett's got a lot to answer for," said Ferguson. 'I don't think he's doing his job properly and he needs to be assessed.

"He's got his favourites, as everyone knows. You look at the refs we get away from home - Steve Bennett, Mark Clattenburg, Phil Dowd, all these people - we never get them at home, always away, and I think that tells you everything about him (Hackett).

"Clattenburg - oh, Jesus, God." One reason for the commission's decision not to take action is believed to be the fact that Queiroz denied calling Atkinson "a robber", claiming he was misquoted.

He also apologised for comments he made about Birmingham defender Martin Taylor. But he did question the referee's impartiality and also suggested poor officials should be replaced during games.

"The referee is a disgrace," said Queiroz. 'What we cannot accept are referees who watch only one side. "This referee deserves somebody to come to the side of the pitch, give him a red card and pull him out of the game."