ROBERTO MANCINI, the Manchester City manager, has promised that Carlos Tevez will be “calm” when he returns to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Wednesday in a League Cup semi-final laced with enough bad feeling for the English Football Association to contact both clubs to remind the Argentine and Gary Neville to act responsibly and make it clear they are on their final warnings.
The FA has become increasingly alarmed about the potential for flashpoints, specifically after Tevez’ withering attack on Neville as a “boot-licking moron”, and that was reflected yesterday when the two managers, Alex Ferguson and Mancini, tried to play down the prospect of the rancour boiling over.
Greater Manchester police has already expressed its concerns to the FA about the players’ behaviour potentially inciting crowd problems. The FA has specifically told City that it will take a dim view of Tevez making any more derogatory comments in the media.
Ferguson, who revealed that Rio Ferdinand would make his first appearance since late October when United play Hull City today in the Premier League’s only game, said he was “not interested” in Tevez’ behaviour as “he’s not our player any more”.
Claiming that he had not seen Neville flash his middle finger towards Tevez after the striker had scored the first of his two goals in a 2-1 first-leg win, Ferguson added: “Players argue with each other and have a go at each time and time again. It’s not an issue for us.”
Mancini’s response was also in keeping with the FA’s request for both clubs not to inflame the situation, explaining that Tevez may have been “tired” when he castigated Neville during an interview with an Argentine radio station. “It’s important that it is finished now, and it is,” Mancini said. “I am sure Carlos will be calm and think only of playing. We all have to be calm.”
Ferguson again intends to play his strongest possible team, which could now include the fit-again Ferdinand. “He’s been training very well for the last three weeks and this is the time to bring him back,” Ferguson reported. “It’s a big boost because it’s been a rough time for us with injuries to so many defenders.”
Ferguson, though, still has no return date for Owen Hargreaves, having initially said the midfielder would return from his knee operations in early November.
“We are trying to get to the point where he feels confident about playing.”
- Guardian Service
