Fergie: Pompey fans could drown me out

Sir Alex Ferguson is concerned the noisy Portsmouth fans could make his touch-line ban even worse by drowning out his attempts to communicate with his assistants on Saturday at Fratton Park.

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Portsmouth's fans will try to make Sir Alex Ferguson unheard

It's the first of two matches in which Ferguson will have to sit in the stands after he was punished for criticising referee Alan Wiley's fitness earlier this season, and he admits the famous Pompey Chimes have the potential to make the outspoken Manchester United boss unheard - a rare feat indeed this season.

"All the lines of communication are in place but the problem you have got is that Fratton Park is such a noisy place,'' Ferguson said. "The directors' box is towards the home end where all the noise comes from. It is a good racket for sure. It is a terrific football stadium.''

At least Ferguson will be able to enjoy a post-match glass of wine with Avram Grant in some degree of comfort afterwards.

The pair have remained in contact during Grant's enforced exile from the game, having been sacked as Chelsea boss in the wake of their Champions League final defeat to United in the Moscow rain in May 2008.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich believed Luiz Felipe Scolari was a better option, only for that move to become so disastrous that Guus Hiddink had to be called in to sort the mess out.

"Sometimes you don't understand everything in football,'' Ferguson said. "Getting to the final of the European Cup was an achievement. Chelsea were within one penalty kick of winning it and they also finished second in the league.