Fergie Pleads With Utd Fans: Stop Abusing Wenger
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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