Sir Alex Ferguson has bristled at suggestions from Arsene Wenger
that Manchester United lack stamina, branding the Frenchman's
reputed comments as 'petty'.
Following Arsenal's late 2-1 win over United on Sunday, Gunners
midfielder Mathieu Flamini claimed that Wenger had told his troops
that their great rivals would tire in the final stages.
The implicit indication that his team cannot last the course has
angered Ferguson, and the Scot has now reignited a war of words
with Wenger which has largely lain dormant since the arrival of
Jose Mourinho in England.
The United boss has accused his Arsenal rival of being 'petty', and
making the comments in order to inflate his own sense of
self-worth.
"In the game against Arsenal, (was it) a lack of concentration?
'Yes'," said Ferguson.
"From a winning position, we were all gutted. It was disappointing,
but in terms of the stamina side of it, it's absolute
nonsense.
"I thought it was a bit petty, coming out with that nonsense.
"There's absolutely no evidence. In terms of endurance and that
kind of thing, we are well in control of that.
"I'm not sure [why he said it]. I think it's maybe making him look
great again. 'I'm the great Arsene Wenger'.
"If they'd lost the game 1-0, what could he have said? Which they
should have done."
However, Wenger has strongly denied questioning United's stamina,
instead insisting that he merely told his players to remember how
Emmanuel Adebayor scored late on in the 1-0 win at Old Trafford
earlier in the season.
"I did not say they crumble in the last 20 minutes," said
Wenger.
"At half-time [last Sunday] it was still 0-0. I said: 'Continue to
play until the last minute because remember at Old Trafford, we
scored in the last five minutes'.
"Of course, after there was a big analysis that they concede more
goals in the last 20 minutes - but most of the time, that is
because they lead and teams have a go at them.
"Manchester United are top of the league - and if they are top of
the league, that means they do not collapse."
