Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson compared the Old Trafford
atmosphere to a "funeral" during his side's 1-0 win over Birmingham
City.
Ferguson noticed the lack of voice from the 75,459 crowd after
watching the match from the directors' box as part of a two-match
touchline ban.
"That was the quietest I have heard the crowd, it was like a
funeral," he said.
His comments come seven years after Roy Keane famously dubbed the
Old Trafford crowd as the "prawn sandwich brigade".
Carlos Tevez's 25th-minute winner ensured the reigning Premier
League champions began 2008 with a victory, but Ferguson was
clearly unimpressed with the crowd's role in his team's
performance.
"The players need the crowd sometimes but the atmosphere inside the
ground wasn't good," said the Scot.
"There are some situations when we need them to get behind us and
give us a lift."
Former Manchester United captain Keane made headlines in 2000 when
he laid into sections of the Old Trafford crowd, claiming they
couldn't "spell 'football', never mind understand it".
He later insisted that he was referring to the crowd in general,
not just United's corporate fans.
And Ferguson has complained on previous occasions about the lack of
atmosphere at Old Trafford.
"I think there have been days like this in the past," said the
Scot. "It happened some years ago, when we were dominant.
"The crowd come to be entertained but sometimes we need them to
help us get the right kind of performance."
