Manchester United were handed a boost ahead of their Champions League quarter-final second-leg tie against Porto tomorrow after Uefa announced a two-match touchline ban for the Portuguese club's manager, Jesualdo Ferreira.

Ferreira was originally suspended for two matches after he gestured at referee Howard Webb during Porto's visit to Atlético Madrid on 24 February.

Porto appealed the decision and so Ferreira was allowed on the Old Trafford touchline last Tuesday when the visitors held United to 2-2 first-leg draw

But Uefa's appeals body today reduced the sentence to a one-match touchline ban and deferred the second match suspension.