Sir Alex Ferguson has said that action should be taken against Jose Mourinho for his recent outspoken comments in a furious outburst against the Chelsea manager.

The Manchester United manager has vented his anger after the Portuguese accused Cristiano Ronaldo, his fellow countryman, of being a "liar".

Mourinho was reacting to Ronaldo's complaint that the Chelsea manager was unfair in claiming referees do not award penalties against United.

Ferguson said: "Jose Mourinho seems to be on some sort of personal crusade about regulations. I am surprised no action has been taken against him. He just seems to go on and on and on. Everybody gets bad decisions, you just have to get on with it. He is saying our game is suspicious. That is wrong.

"He abused Barcelona in the past, a Swedish referee [Anders Frisk], a German referee [Markus Merk] and the other night he said Liverpool players were going to hunt down Didier Drogba to get him booked. That is very disappointing. As for Cristiano Ronaldo, everyone is entitled to have a comment or opinion. That doesn't mean to say they are liars. He is on about changing regulations. Who is doing it? The FA? The Premier League? Uefa? I really feel he has been let off lightly with those comments."

Ferguson cannot understand why Mourinho has been so upset by what the Scot sees as debatable calls. To emphasise his point, the United manager pointed to incidents where a referee's decision has worked against his club. "We all get good and bad decisions," Ferguson said. "Does he remember the goal Paul Scholes had disallowed for offside when we played against Porto in the European Cup? We didn't like it and we complained. But we didn't go to war on it.

"Or should he be pointing to the fact Tottenham were forced to play on a Easter Saturday morning, a day and a half after their previous game, to allow Chelsea to rest before their European tie? We have to play Manchester City at 12.45 on a Saturday after a European tie in Milan next Wednesday. Is that fair? We don't think so but we are not going to start accusing the Premier League of carving things up with Chelsea."

Ferguson also accused Mourinho of making calculated statements aimed at increasing the pressure on match officials, even though the United manager has employed the same tactic in the past. "It is a rant all the time now," Ferguson said. "I don't think it is fair to the game. Jose is a very clever man. In some people's eyes he is a hero. I don't know who is a villain and who is a hero.

"The biggest fear for us is that by citing the fact we are not allowed to get penalties at Old Trafford - and we have had three against us this year and there have been none at Stamford Bridge - it puts a terrible pressure on the referees. It is a calculated move. We have four games to go now. If we get a penalty kick against us in that time, Mourinho wins that war. That is wrong."

The rivalry between the clubs had escalated yesterday when Ronaldo said Mourinho was an attention-seeker who refused to admit his mistakes. Mourinho responded in withering fashion. "If he says that it is false that Manchester United have conceded penalties that were not given, it's lies. And if he is a liar he will never reach the highest level that he desires in football," he said.

Mourinho's allegation was prompted by a penalty appeal Chelsea had rejected against Newcastle United on Sunday, a day after United survived Middlesbrough's strong claims for a spot-kick in the final moments of their match at Old Trafford.

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