Ferguson to fight five-match touchline ban

ALEX FERGUSON could be forced to sit in the stand for Manchester United’s vital league and cup games against Arsenal and Manchester City after receiving an FA five-match ban.

The manager’s latest rant at a referee also landed him with a £30,000 (€34,579) fine for his verbal attack on referee Martin Atkinson at Chelsea last month.

Ferguson criticised Atkinson’s failure to send David Luiz off for fouls on Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney after the Brazilian had already been booked.