Cup defeat prompts Ferguson to rage at officials
Sir Alex Ferguson blasted referee Martin Atkinson and his boss Keith Hackett after Manchester United's treble dream went up in smoke.
United wasted more than enough chances to win the match but manager Ferguson chose to vent his fury at Atkinson and took at swipe at Hackett, who is in charge of officials.
Ferguson felt United had a blatant penalty denied when Cristiano Ronaldo was blocked by Sylvain Distin.
'It's absolutely ridiculous,' said Ferguson, whose side were denied the chance to repeat their 1999 treble success.
'I cannot explain it. Managers get sacked because of things like that and he's going to referee a game next week.'
He added: 'He (Hackett) is not doing his job properly and he needs to be assessed.
'I'm assessed as a manager, players are assessed, referees should be assessed properly by the right people. That performance today should not be accepted by our game.
'But we didn't need to worry about the referee in terms of the chances that we had.
'The referee's performance – well Keith Hacket, I think is in a nice comfortable position and does nothing really.
'I don't think he makes a contribution to the refereeing performances in the country.'
United assistant boss Carloz Queiroz was also upset at the display of the official, who he branded a 'disgrace'.
Queiroz said: 'What did Diarra expect when he elbowed Ronaldo by the line to put him out.
'This is why the (Martin) Taylors of the game are allowed to survive and the best players are out of the game.'
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Friday 10 February 2012
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