Ferguson and Queiroz hit by FA charges

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and assistant manager Carlos Queiroz have been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.

The charges relate to comments made following United's FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth last month.

Ferguson's charge concerns comments about referee Martin Atkinson and Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) general manager Keith Hackett.

Queiroz's charge relates to comments about Atkinson.

Both parties have until April 17 to respond to the charge.

Speaking after Sulley Muntari's penalty gave Pompey a shock victory at Old Trafford, Ferguson felt United had earlier had a blatant spot-kick 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.'