Sir Alex Ferguson reacted with indignation yesterday upon learning that John Terry, the Chelsea captain, will be free to face Manchester United on Sunday after a successful appeal against the red card he was shown away to Manchester City. While Chelsea celebrated, Ferguson pointed an accusatory finger at Keith Hackett, the head of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, and made the inflammatory claim that a United player would not have been so fortunate.

Terry was banned for three matches after being sent off on Saturday for a professional foul on Jô, the City forward, which was described as “serious foul play” by Mark Halsey, the referee. Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Chelsea manager, seemed to accept the decision in a post-match interview, but Chelsea appealed and were told yesterday that the England captain's suspension had been overturned by the FA's independent regulatory commission.

Ferguson expressed dismay at the news, accusing Hackett of influencing the decision. “From what I have heard, Keith Hackett has told the referee to rescind the red card and he wouldn't do it,” the United manager said. “If it had been a Manchester United player, Keith Hackett wouldn't have done this. If the referee has made a mistake, this is going to happen all the time.”

Under FA regulations, a red card can only be overturned if the referee, upon reviewing the incident, decides that he made the wrong decision. Ferguson claims that Halsey did not reverse his decision and that it was Hackett who recommended that the independent commission upheld Terry's appeal for wrongful dismissal. Hackett could not be contacted last night to answer Ferguson's allegations, but is likely to challenge them in strong terms.

In a further twist, it emerged last night that Halsey had been dropped three divisions for this weekend and will take charge of the match between Chester City and Shrewsbury Town, seemingly as punishment for an error of judgment in sending off Terry. Hackett could not be contacted last night, but the PGMOB insisted that Hackett has played no part in the appeal process, saying: “All matters of discipline are an issue for the FA and the FA alone.