Alex Ferguson

LONDON (Reuters)

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has been banned from the touchline for two matches and fined £5,000 (US$10,140), the Football Association (FA) said yesterday.

The sanction follows Ferguson's comments to referee Mark Clattenburg at half-time during his side's 1-0 Premier League defeat by Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on November 24.

"Ferguson admitted a charge of using abusive and/or insulting words towards (the referee)," the FA said on its website (www.thefa.com).