SOCCER:ALEX FERGUSON has risked further sanction from the English Football Association after reacting furiously to Manchester United's narrow defeat to Chelsea by claiming the referee, Martin Atkinson, was in an "absolutely ridiculous" position at the game's decisive free-kick.

The United manager, who faces a personal hearing at the FA next month over comments made about referee Alan Wiley, disputed the foul given against Darren Fletcher, who appeared to win the ball in a challenge with Ashley Cole, some 14 minutes from time and was then mystified that Didier Drogba was not penalised for tugging back Wes Brown as Frank Lampard’s delivery veered into the six-yard box.

Brown ended up grounded with Drogba, in front of Edwin van der Sar, dangling a leg at the loose ball, flicked on by John Terry, nestled in the corner to give Chelsea a 1-0 victory.

That the goal stood left United’s players incensed, with Wayne Rooney booked for his protest and Van der Sar, Ryan Giggs and Anderson all pursuing the official to complain. Rooney appeared to mouth “12 men, 12 men” into a television camera as he departed the turf at the final whistle.

“Clearly Darren Fletcher has won the ball,” said Ferguson. “He’s never touched Ashley Cole who just jumped up in the air, and then Drogba has pulled Brown to the ground at the goal. The referee’s position to make a decision there was absolutely ridiculous. He can’t see it. There was a Chelsea player standing right in front of him and he doesn’t even move.

“It was a bad decision, but what can you do? You lose faith in the refereeing sometimes. That’s the way the players are talking in there. It was a bad one. That goal should not have been allowed.

“We’ve dominated the game and had great chances to win the match. And that’s our fault. Some of the football we played getting up to the box, and some of the chances in and around the box, were excellent and we should have finished it off. But you do need a break. We never got the break we needed.”

Ferguson has been critical of Atkinson in the past, most notably after United’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Portsmouth in 2008 when he claimed the official was “not doing his job properly”, though his outburst is untimely given his criticisms of Wiley after the 2-2 draw with Sunderland last month.

The United manager admitted a charge of improper conduct after saying the official “was not fit” and had taken his time booking players because “he was needing a rest”. He has since apologised.

Victory gave Chelsea a club-record 11th successive home win in all competitions, their clean sheet having seen them go 872 minutes since they last conceded at Stamford Bridge. The win extended their lead at the top to five points from Arsenal and United. Didier Drogba will be assessed today after Jonny Evans inadvertently kicked him in the ribs – the Ivorian was actually booked for a foul.

“Up to now, we’ve done very well,” said Carlo Ancelotti. “We beat a very good team, our best opponents, but now we have to maintain this. Now we are in a good position in the Premiership and in the Champions League.”

The Italian was unimpressed by Fletcher’s apparent attempt to persuade Atkinson to dismiss Ricardo Carvalho late on after the Portuguese first fouled Rooney, then ignored the referee’s whistle.

“I think that the United players protested a lot,” added Ancelotti. “I don’t know why. I don’t like this, for sure, but at the end of the match – a match that was very difficult – all the players have worked very hard so, sometimes, it can happen.”

“We were by far the better team,” added Ferguson. “The fact that Chelsea have gone five points clear of us . . . losing to Liverpool last month didn’t affect our position in the league. This result did because, if we’d won the game, we’d have gone top again.”