Ferguson Rages After Terry is Given Go-ahead to Face United

Sir Alex Ferguson has angrily accused the Premier League head of referees, Keith Hackett, of showing favoritism to Chelsea after John Terry was let off the red card he was shown at Manchester City on Saturday and the official who brandished it, Mark Halsey, was banished to League Two.

Terry had been facing a three-match ban which would have ruled him out of Sunday's game against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. Instead he will be free to face the champions, and Hackett has effectively punished Halsey by taking him off the Premier League match-list this weekend and asking him to take Chester City's match against Shrewsbury Town.

"My information is that Hackett told Mark Halsey to rescind the red card and he would not do it," said an incensed Ferguson. "Now I understand that Halsey is being made to referee in the Second Division this weekend. I just don't understand how this could have happened. If it had been a Manchester United player, Hackett would never have done this for us."

Last night the Chelsea coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, said Terry's exoneration had been unexpected. "I am surprised but satisfied. That would only happen in England. Anywhere else the referee is a god and it's finished. It's a surprise, but a positive surprise. The Football Association have their men who understand that the referee is not god. They make mistakes sometimes, like I do and the players do."

Terry had been sent off after deliberately blocking Jo, City's Brazilian striker, to prevent him running towards goal. The decision was criticized at the time as it was perceived that Halsey had ruled it to be a professional foul when Terry was not the last defender. Halsey, however, has maintained since the weekend that he did not make a mistake and that Terry was sent off because the challenge was cynical.

A spokesman for the referees' body, the PGMOL, said that Hackett had no part in the appeal process, adding: "All matters of discipline are an issue for the Football Association and them alone."

The decision led Ferguson to question whether a precedent had been set of decisions being removed from referees.