Alex Ferguson has slammed Roberto Mancini after the Manchester City manager claimed Manchester United get an easy ride from scared opponents.
Mancini angered Ferguson by suggesting one of the reasons why United have been able to open up a 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League is that their opponents play with fear against them and believe they cannot win.
But United boss Ferguson, whose side can move 15 points clear with a victory at Stoke on Sunday, pointed to the number of times his team have come from behind to win this season as proof that Mancini is wrong.
“That’s absolute nonsense,” Ferguson said. “He was maybe looking for a bit of self-sympathy or something like that.
“We all recognise the English game is the most honest in the world and has been for many years.
“At Norwich this season the energy their two wide players expended was phenomenal.
“They ran 100 miles. That’s an example of the Premier League. And the Reading game, when it went to 3-2, I thought we were going to lose.
“There are a lot of games I’ve watched this season, when I’ve said to myself ‘are they trying?’ – of course they’re trying.
“These teams have 3,000 fans following them away from home. There is no way they could come to Old Trafford and not do their best.
“That also applies itself to Eastlands, Stamford Bridge, the Emirates or Anfield. That is the nature of the English game.”