
Sir Alex Ferguson has welcomed the heightened security arrangements put
in place by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium ahead of Manchester
United's visit to North London on Saturday.
When United last
played at the Emirates, manager Ferguson complained that the Arsenal
fans were allowed too close to the visitors' dugout.
However,
while the behaviour of the Arsenal fans did not impress the Scot, he
also concedes that United's supporters often cross the line when their
team take on the Gunners.
There is one vile 'song' in particular that United fans regularly abuse Wenger with, and Ferguson wants them to cut it out.
"I hope it stops," he said. "There has been a focus on fans' chants, not just towards Arsene Wenger but other managers too.
"It is ridiculous. The police should be doing more.
"When
you consider the chants that have been levelled at us about Munich you
would think United fans would understand very well the sensitivity of
the situation.
"I don't agree with it at all. Hopefully the fans appreciate when it comes to me too.
"I
would like to think other clubs share the same view as I have in terms
of criticism towards the manager. There is enough to admire in our game
without denigrating people."
Having conducted an internal
review, Arsenal intend to station another three stewards immediately
behind the dugout, and have an 'ejection squad' standing by to act if
any fans misbehave.
Ferguson has welcomed this, but feels the
design of the Emirates Stadium lends itself to potentially inflammatory
confrontations.
"The problem is the fans are right behind you. They are almost in the dugout really," he said.
"It is quite right they have improved the security because last year was pretty unsavoury. In fact, I think it was nasty.
"I can turn myself off from it and concentrate on the game. But I knew what was going on.
"When
the stewards tried to intervene they were attacked by some Arsenal
fans. They had to remove our stewards from there and bring their own in.
"It should not happen when you build a modern stadium like that. It is too open for my liking.
"It is a weakness in the planning that you don't provide safety for the visiting substitutes and staff."
source: goal.com