Fergi Scoffs Over Pitch Complaint

Sir Alex Ferguson has scoffed at Arsene Wenger's complaints about the Old Trafford playing surface, with the Manchester United manager apparently believing the Frenchman's remarks were a 'diversion tactic' to distract attention from Arsenal's poor performance in Monday night's defeat.
Though Wenger avoided blaming the pitch for his side's lame loss, the Frenchman was adamant that the surface had hindered play and was a key factor in the game's low quality.

"The technical quality of the game was very average on both sides because the pitch was so poor in my opinion and the game suffered a lot from it. It was bouncy and slippery," said the Arsenal manager. "The technical quality suffered from a very bad pitch and both sides made technical mistakes."
However, those words have drawn a strong response from Ferguson, with the Scot telling a radio station: "I don't think the pitch had anything to do with it. We were just the better team.
"The pitch was good, fine. I've no problem with the pitch at all and it was a surprise to everyone that this was mentioned. I don't think anyone can complain about our pitch."
The Guardian describes Ferguson as feeling 'aggrieved by Wenger's remarks' and believing them to 'a diversion tactic'.
Meanwhile, the paper reports that 'although Ferguson's irritation with the pitch comments was clear, it does not mask the club's embarrassment that Wenger was targeted, once again, with crude chants.
Ferguson had appealed to supporters via his programme notes and in several pre-match interviews to behave better, saying the Arsenal manager "deserves better, much better" and United are at a loss about how to stop it'.

Man United beats Gunners in Top Clash

Park Ji-sung's first-half strike was enough for Manchester United as they knocked Arsenal off top spot in the Premier League with a 1-0 win. Park ensured the visiting Chilean miners were able to celebrate a home victory on their momentous visit to Old Trafford.
David Beckham was also in a star-studded directors' box to see the Red Devils secure a triumph that maintains their unbeaten record.
Far more importantly, it sends them two points clear of the chasing pack, with a match in hand.

It should have been more. United wasted countless chances, the best of which being a penalty from Wayne Rooney 17 minutes from time that he ballooned over the bar.

For Arsenal, the sorry statistic of a fifth reverse concealed a desperately disappointing performance which did not get that much better even after Arsene Wenger had thrown his star man Cesc Fabregas on in a last desperate bid to secure a share of the spoils.
Ferguson made the point in his programme notes that Arsenal are not the "lilywhites" they are often painted and so it proved during a tight first half in which the Gunners were well prepared to dish out some rough treatment.
On a ground where they have often been ill-treated in the past, the visitors were more than willing to stand toe-to-toe with their opponents, the only surprise being that World Cup final referee Howard Webb did not book Marouane Chamakh and Andrey Arshavin until the last seconds of the opening period.
By that point, the hosts were basking in Park's opener.
The South Korean is one of the men whose recent improvement has retained United's position amongst the title contenders.
It was his injury-time goal that secured victory over Wolves last month and it was an equally well-received effort that allowed United to seize the initiative.
Set free by Rooney's neat nod-down, Nani crossed from the right and not even a deflection off Gael Clichy could prevent the ball bouncing to Park, who contorted his body in such a way as to loop a header over Wojciech Szczesny and into the net.
For Szczesny it was a bitter blow.
Handed his league debut after just three League Cup starts for the Gunners, the Pole had been a confident presence in what has so often been a problem position for Wenger.

Sebastien Squillaci was responsible for the weak clearance that allowed Nani to send a first-time volley whistling past the Pole's right-hand post it was the hand of Chamakh that could easily have brought a penalty for United when he rather awkwardly got in the way of Nani's cross.
Arsenal were a disappointment.
The in-form Samir Nasri was a virtual bystander whilst Arshavin got onto the ball far more often but his final ball was a major let-down.
Twice the hosts came close to doubling their advantage during the opening minutes of the second period.
As part of his impressive evening, Szczesny produced a save reminiscent of Peter Schmeichel in his pomp to deny Anderson, who had burst onto a pass Rooney threaded through the Gunners defence.
Then Nani fired over at the end of a fast counter, started by Anderson robbing Jack Wilshere near the United box and he felt he should have ended it as he screamed in vain for a far-post cross after finding himself completely unmarked.
In between, Nasri had brought a full-length save out of Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic had blocked as Chamakh tried to turn home the rebound.
Nasri was far more productive, although it was the double introduction of Fabregas and Robin van Persie that really showed how determined Arsenal were not to leave defeated.
The bold move did leave them vulnerable to the counter-attack and it was on one such raid that Nani earned his side a penalty as he checked inside Clichy and forced the Frenchman to handle.
Without a goal in open play since March, the England striker has scored from the spot twice this season. It was also the fifth United penalty in Arsenal's last eight visits to Old Trafford.
There was no goal on this occasion though as Rooney ballooned his effort way over the bar.
It did not sap the striker's confidence and a superb chip brought an excellent save out of Szczesny after latching onto Rio Ferdinand's pass.
Theo Walcott wasted the Gunners' last chance to condemn them to defeat.

Fletcher: I'm Not a Dirt Player

Darren Fletcher insists he is not a 'dirty player' following past criticism from Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
The midfielder's performance in Manchester United's home win over Arsenal last season prompted Wenger to question the approach of the Scotland international.
Ahead of Monday's showdown with the Gunners at Old Trafford, Fletcher has defended his style of play.
Fletcher is not dwelling on Wenger's criticism and believes referees are aware of his combative approach to helping United win games.
"Things are said in the heat of the moment and I would rather not dwell on it," said Fletcher.
"I don't think I'm a dirty player, I know I'm not a dirty player.
"I go to win the ball and sometimes you give away fouls doing that, but it's not malicious. It's all part of the British game.
"The referees here use a lot of common sense and they know when players are generally trying to win the ball and those going out to hurt people."
Fletcher also believes that Samir Nasri poses the biggest threat to United on Monday, with the midfielder having scored 12 goals this season.
"He's their form player right now," added Fletcher. "He's looking determined, the player who has taken on the mantle of being the man to make things happen."

Fergi Wary of 'aggressive' Arsenal

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has labelled Arsenal a more aggressive side than they were last year ahead of Monday's clash.
The Manchester United manager is preparing for another showdown with Arsene Wenger's men at Old Trafford knowing a place at the top of the Premier League is the prize for the winner. t promises to be a fascinating duel, not least because neither side has been on top form over a consistent period this term despite securing the top two places.
Arsenal have lost three times on home soil while United have been held to seven draws in an unbeaten 15-match start to the campaign.
Yet Monday should suit both sides as Ferguson's team have reserved their best performances for Old Trafford, while Arsenal head north on the back of five away wins on the trot, a record which, according to the United boss, has been achieved by mixing some steel to the finesse Wenger's teams are so renowned for.
The United manager still sees the same passing style. It is just that Wenger is trying to incorporate a more robust approach, as they used to do when Tony Adams was in his pomp.
"I think they'll still try to play the attractive football Arsene believes in, but there's definitely been a slight change" Ferguson told www.manutd.com.
"The general shape of the team has been far more mature and aggressive this year.
"They're top of the league - that's a sure indication that they are better than they were last year and they'll have a chance.
"They were very difficult to beat in the days of Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira and the three at the back - Keown, Adams and Bould.
"That brought them great success and I think that this team is showing that kind of maturity now."
Ferguson does not believe the fixture with Arsenal has lost any of its gloss since the emergence of Chelsea as a title-winning force.
"The games, particularly four or five years ago, were so important because both of us were challenging for league titles," he said.
"Chelsea have now come in and it's been ourselves and Chelsea over the last five years.
"Nonetheless, it's Manchester United against Arsenal and the history of both teams always guarantees a match of intensity and a lot of the time, controversy.
"I think Monday night's game will be more or less the same because the pride and history of both clubsdetermine that."

Evra comments irks Wenger

Arsene Wenger says Manchester United defender Patrice Evra showed a lack of respect by branding Arsenal nothing more than a "training centre".
The Gunners leapfrogged United to the top of the table last weekend with victory over Fulham as the Red Devils had their match at Blackpool postponed.
Evra turned up the heat ahead of the meeting between the two sides during an interview with French television, in which he claimed Arsenal offer style but little substance and declaring the club was in "crisis" for not having won a trophy since 2005.
Wenger, however, feels a war of words serves no purpose.
"He gave you some good stuff to make it all hot before the game," the Arsenal manager said.
"We are guided by the way we want to play football and not by the statements of anybody who plays against us.
"Personally, I believe if you are a big player you always respect your opponent and that is what we try to do."
Asked if Evra had been disrespectful, the Gunners manager said: "I leave that judgement to you. We do not want to go into any unneeded talking before a game like that.
"We want to focus on the way we want to play and ignore any provocation before a game.
"We are motivated by the desire to win the game and by the quality of the football we want to play."
Evra maintains Chelsea are United's "real enemy" as they look to regain the Premier League crown.
He told Canal Plus: "Arsenal is a training centre. I watch them play and enjoy it but will they win the title? That's what people remember.
"Arsenal are a great club but it has been five years since they won anything and that for me is a crisis.
"We could lose to them on the 13th but then what? There is nothing (for them), there will be no trophy, nothing.
The showdowns between United and Arsenal may not now be as feisty as they were in the days of 'Pizzagate' when the duo battled for Premier League supremacy, but it is certainly set to be a decent atmosphere at Old Trafford on Monday night.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has called on home supporters not to subject Wenger to a torrent of sick abuse as has happened in previous visits.
Last season, Wenger received an apology from referees' chief Keith Hackett after he was dismissed from the dugout for kicking a water bottle and, unsure of where to go, had to climb up into the stand with fans before eventually being ushered along the touchline to the tunnel as the game concluded.
"I said you want to respect everybody and to be respected as well," Wenger reflected.
"That's why whenever Manchester United comes to Arsenal we always invite our fans to respect him and respect our players. I cannot do more than that."

 Wenger continued: "You know what happened over the years.

"I believe in individual responsibility of what you do in life. I cannot master 70,000 or 80,000 people. I try to do my job that is all."
On his now seemingly cordial relationship with once bitter rival Ferguson, Wenger observed: "It has changed a little bit by the length of the surviving of both managers in their team and there is a respect and understanding of the difficulty of this job. That's maybe what you call 'mellowing'.
"But what is important is that it's not Ferguson v Wenger, it's Manchester United v Arsenal.
"What is important is how well both teams will play and all the ingredients are there for an exciting game, that's what we want to produce."
Wenger will leave a decision on the fitness of captain Cesc Fabregas, battling to recover from a hamstring problem, until the last moment.
"We will not take an unreasonable gamble, that is for sure, even if it is a big game," the Arsenal boss said.
"We have to assess if it is a risk for him to play, is he ready to play in a very intense game, then I will make a decision.
"But overall I am more focused on the team performance than on any individual performance, You know you only win any big game if the whole team competes well."