Ferguson slams derby timing

City the visitors in week of Munich anniversary

Last updated: 10th February 2008

Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United Munich press

Ferguson: Fixture fury

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Sir Alex Ferguson has blasted the decision to play the Manchester derby in the week of the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

The Red Devils have been honouring the eight players who died alongside 15 other passengers - including former Manchester City goalkeeper Frank Swift - all week, with the clash at Old Trafford set to cap off the memorials.

There will be a minute's silence - which City officials including manager Sven-Goran Eriksson have appealed for visiting fans to respect - and both teams will play in traditional, unsponsored jerseys to honour the occasion.

But Ferguson, aware of concerns that a small minority of the City crowd may not respect the silence, admits his initial reaction when he was presented with the fixture list was an angry one.

Pressure

"When I saw what the fixture was at this time at the beginning of the season I said "who the hell chose that?"," the Scot told the Sunday Express.

"It puts pressure on the clubs. We could easily have had Middlesbrough at home or something like that.

"There was no opportunity given to change it. I hope it's a good game, the crowd have a part to play in that.

"City as a football club have done their very best. Hopefully it will go off well and we can get on with the game of football."

Opportunity

But Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson responded: "We weren't approached by either club to move the fixture.

"The fixture list goes round at the beginning of the season before it's made public.

"Every club has the opportunity to comment on the fixtures.

"If they feel either one is insensitively placed or one is impracticably placed, they have the opportunity to ask for it to be moved."