Fandel's Appointment Likely to Further Fergie's Fury

Sir Alex Ferguson's complaints about the standard of officiating at Manchester United's matches are unlikely to be eased by the appointment of Herbert Fandel for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona tomorrow night.

Fandel ranks as arguably Ferguson's least favorite referee, dating back to a 2-1 defeat to Porto in 2004 when Roy Keane was sent off and, at the final whistle, United's manager refused to shake hands with Jose Mourinho, then in charge of the Portuguese champions, because he was incensed about the home players' repeated diving.

Fandel also sent off Paul Scholes in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Roma last season. Ferguson accused him at the time of favoring the home side - an allegation that was studied by Uefa's disciplinary department - and he made no attempt to hide his distrust of the German earlier this season when United played Sporting Lisbon.

Asked about Fandel's appointment, Ferguson put his head in his hands, sighing melodramatically, and asked: "Have we got a supply of Mogadon?" Ferguson and his assistant, Carlos Queiroz, already have a disciplinary hearing pending with the Football Association because of their criticisms of Martin Atkinson - and, in Ferguson's case, the referees' chief Keith Hackett - after United's 1-0 defeat to Portsmouth in the FA Cup quarter finals.

Both men intend to fight the charges and United are preparing a dossier of alleged refereeing errors - including footage from Saturday's defeat at Chelsea.

"In the last few weeks we've been knocked out of the FA Cup after not getting a penalty kick," said Ferguson. "There should have been a clear penalty kick at Middlesbrough from Mike Riley when a Boro player dived and saved the ball. And the same linesman we had today, Glenn Turner, disallowed Wayne Rooney when he was clean through and five yards onside.Then last week at Blackburn, Rob Styles, who's turned down five penalty kicks for us this season, doesn't give us one out of three."

Of Saturday's game, he added: "Cristiano Ronaldo was grappled almost to the floor by Michael Ballack (at a United corner) and it was a clear penalty kick. Then Michael Carrick went down in the same way, the referee (Alan Wiley) was right there and again he didn't give it."

Queiroz was equally forthright. "It must be necessary for a player to bring a gun and shoot one of our men in the box for us to get a penalty. The referee was five meters away from both incidents but he gives only one penalty. Some of the decisions in the last few weeks have damaged this club. We are not in the FA Cup final because of a bad decision. Against Barcelona in the Champions League, there should have been three penalties but only one was given. Something is wrong with football."