Ferguson: Ref Bennett 'loved' opportunity to show Ronaldo red

Footballer of the Year Ronaldo was dismissed at Fratton Park for aiming a head-butt at Pompey substitute Richard Hughes six minutes from time after he was pushed him in the chest during a goalmouth melee following a corner.

Ferguson believes Ronaldo fell for Portsmouth's "intimidation tactics" and castigated the Portuguese international, saying he had only himself to blame for incurring a three-match ban - including Sunday's Manchester derby at City.

But Ferguson told MUTV: "Steve Bennett sent him off at City (in January 2006) and will have loved the opportunity to send him off again.

He added: "I've looked at the replay a few times now and there's nothing conclusive - you can't really see anything,but I believe he was provoked and he fell for it.

"He was surprised about the decision but really he's only himself to blame and now we're going to miss him for three games. It's a big blow."

FA Cup final referee Bennett, who was in charge of Chelsea's Wembley win over United in May, has had several run-ins with Ferguson before and is likely to take the line recently put forward by retired top official Graham Poll that managers too often bring the game into disrepute with personal comments.

But although FA officials have already studied reports and comments from the Fratton Park game a spokesman said they were "unlikely" to take the matter further - except maybe to write to Ferguson asking the Scot to explain his words.

Last season the FA hit Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger with fines for post-match comments to and about officials, but do not appear to include Ferguson's remarks in the same category.

The United chief has enough problems on his plate after the team's worst start to a season since 1998.

With just two points from their opening two games they are already without England striker Wayne Rooney who fractured a bone in his foot during the goalless draw with Reading last Sunday.

New £17million midfielder Owen Hargreaves and skipper Gary Neville have yet to figure because of knee injuries and strikers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Louis Saha are also crocked.

Now Ronaldo is out for three games - he also misses the matches against Sunderland and Tottenham - following his third dismissal since joining United in July 2003.

Hughes, who admitted there was "no bruising" from the contact made in Ronaldo's latest sending-off incident is adamant he had no thoughts of trying to get his opponent dismissed - just a minute after Pompey's Sulley Muntari had been ordered off for a second yellow card.

The Scotland international said: "You could see by my reaction that it was not the case, but I felt something on the side of my head more than him just leaning in towards me.

"As usual at a corner there was some pushing and shoving but Ronaldo went into me first and then seemed to swing his leg. I thought that if he was going to try to shove me to get a run on me I would just get tighter and we went head to head as footballers often do for some reason.

"I definitely felt something more than just him leaning his head on mine, though. Whether he meant it I'm not sure but the referee was right there and saw fit to show him a red card."