Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made an angry phone call to refs boss Keith Hackett after their FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth, it has been revealed.

The Mirror says Fergie blasted Hackett following ref Martin Atkinson's failure to give a penalty when Cristiano Ronaldo was brought down in the 1-0 defeat.

But Fergie - who is set to be hit with an FA misconduct charge for his outbursts - went a step further on Saturday night by calling Hackett to deliver a fresh barrage of abuse.

He vented his anger and accused the refs' chief of allowing standards among officials to reach an all-time low following what he perceived as Atkinson's blunder which cost United their chance of the Treble.

But Hackett put Fergie in his place, informing the United boss he was not responsible for appointing officials to FA Cup matches, the responsibility falling to the FA.