Fergie urges clampdown on two-footed tackles: Refs use yellow cards as a cop-out it needs to be red

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The Manchester United manager will begin a two-match touchline ban later this month after the Football Association punished him for a furious rant at Mark Clattenburg during his side's recent defeat at Bolton.

Ferguson felt Clattenburg had not acted strongly enough as he dealt with Kevin Davies' late tackle on Patrice Evra.

Since then, the United chief has watched on as the rows over two-footed challenges continue to grow.

Liverpool's Peter Crouch was the latest player dismissed for a wild attack on Mikel Jon Obi at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, although 24 hours earlier, Steed Malbranque escaped a red card for an equally poor challenge on Vedran Corluka during Tottenham's Carling Cup win over Manchester City, even though referee Steve Bennett had sent off Didier Zokora for a less malicious tackle on Elano.

Ferguson feels referees are too quick to view a yellow card as an escape clause, which only heightens the problem as the FA have no powers to turn a yellow card into a red by the use of video evidence.

However, they can rescind a red card, which has led Ferguson to reach a rather quirky conclusion.

"We have hit a problem this season with these tackles," he said. "Eventually, someone will be put out of the game and that player will end up suing the other one, which doesn't do the game any good.

"I honestly believe the directive from (referees' boss) Keith Hackett about two-footed tackles has to be stronger because, as long as the referees have the yellow card option, they have an escape clause.

"It is easy to err on the side of caution but this problem needs sorting out. Even if it was one of my own players, I would prefer the referee to give a red. At least then he can look at it the following morning and rescind it if he feels the decision was wrong."

Ferguson is still bemused by Clattenburg's refusal to dismiss Davies and is more confused given he has now been told the official, who did not send Dirk Kuyt off for an awful tackle on Phil Neville during this season's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, went to Newcastle during pre-season and warned them of the stark consequences facing players who jump into tackles.

"Some of the players told me he had gone up to Newcastle before the season with video clips and said 'this will be a red card'. But he hasn't given one for a two-footed tackle yet even though there have been at least two occasions when it has happened in his games," he said.

"It is difficult. Sometimes a player can win the ball and carry through because the impetus of his challenge is so strong.

"But when they start to go above the centre of the ball, you have to think it is dangerous. If the ball is on the ground then it is harder, but that is where good refereeing comes into it."

Ferguson admitted he is still trying to convince himself of the merits of his argument, although he is more certain that tackles of such an extreme nature should warrant more than a three-match ban.

He still refers back to the video evidence which saw Wayne Rooney banned for three matches for effectively pushing Tal Ben-Haim in the face during a festive duel with Bolton at Old Trafford three years ago.

And he cannot see how that incident is equal in severity to the potential leg-breakers that seem to be so commonplace just now.

"Is three matches enough for these kind of tackles?" he said. "Wayne Rooney got three games for slapping Tal Ben-Haim in the face a couple of years ago. It is crazy.

"The problem is that FIFA can dominate that particular field in terms of what the length of the ban is and what constitutes violent conduct, so we are in their grasp.

"But I also am sure they must also feel it needs stopping too for the best principles of the game."