Grant charged after ref row

The Football Association have charged Portsmouth manager Avram Grant with improper conduct for confronting referee Kevin Friend at half-time during the 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Tuesday.

Grant squared up to Friend after the half-time whistle after seeing two penalty claims turned down and having Ricardo Rocha dismissed for conceding the penalty which led to Darren Bent's 12th-minute opener at Fratton Park.

Grant also ranted after the game about decisions going against his side, but an FA statement on Thursday confirmed: "The charge relates to Grant's behaviour towards referee Kevin Friend at the conclusion of the first half of Portsmouth's match against Sunderland at Fratton Park on February 9."

Grant has until next Thursday to respond to the charge, which will be heard by March 5.

Friend also dismissed Lee Cattermole and David Meyler for the visitors but Grant felt his side were still on the rough end of the decisions.

"Referees are honest but they go with the atmosphere and they also read the papers, so it is easy to do it," Grant said after the game.

"I cannot fight against the whole world. For me, the Premier League decided on a (transfer) embargo that did not give us an equal chance.

"Then in the last 10 days there is the referees. Against Manchester City there was a clear penalty and a goal from offside.

"Against Fulham there was a clear offside against Bobby Zamora. Against Manchester United it was 1-0 and there was no penalty when (Patrice) Evra used two hands.

"Against Sunderland, two clear penalties against us. I can fight against everything but sometimes it is too much. Maybe it is too easy to do things against us."