Soccer Digest/Discipline: Alex Ferguson may face a disrepute charge unless he can convince the English Football Association he had legitimate reasons to claim there was something "sinister" about the number of penalty appeals Manchester United have had turned down this season.
The FA's disciplinary department believes there may be a case to answer and has written to the United manager to ask him to explain his comments. He has until Tuesday to respond, when the FA must decide whether to charge him with misconduct, with a potential fine if he is subsequently found guilty.
Ferguson made the allegation in an interview with the club's in-house TV station after Sunday's defeat of Newcastle United. The United manager was angry that the referee, Neale Barry, had not awarded a penalty when Andy O'Brien seemed to bundle Alan Smith to the ground in the first half.
"It is getting ridiculous now," he said. "I am not sure if they (referees) are instructed but it is looking sinister to me. That is the same referee who gave Portsmouth a penalty against us for the slightest tug by Rio Ferdinand and also denied us an absolute certainty when Louis Saha was fouled at Chelsea."
SETANTA CUP: The organisers of the Setanta Cup have altered the timings of the final group games in the competition so that both matches can be televised live, reports Emmet Malone.
The game between Cork City and Portadown will now kick-off at 7.45pm on Monday, May 16th, while Glentoran v Linfield match has been put back a day to Tuesday the 17th with a 7.15pm start.
It has also been confirmed that the final, which is to be played on Saturday, May 21st at 7.30, will be at Tolka Park unless both teams involved are from the Irish League, in which case it will be staged at Windsor Park.
CELTIC: Midfielder Stilian Petrov admits he might have "over-celebrated" his opening goal in the 2-1 win at Rangers on Sunday.
The Bulgaria international was struck by a plastic cup thrown from the Copland Road stand at Ibrox after celebrating his 21st-minute header in front of Gers fans.
Petrov told Celtic View: "Maybe I over-celebrated but, after that, I apologised to their fans and raised my hand to them."
