Fergie’s hairdryer is back on full power, but we haven’t been blown out of the reckoning just yet

THERE was an amusing tale in the London Daily Mail last week about warnings being issued not to wear any clothing with ‘AIG’ on it, lest it attract unwanted violent attention.

The story was about the USA, of course, but on Saturday afternoon its writ ran in London SW1 too, if one imagines a fuming Fergie barging into the dressing room at half time.

One of the United staff, with classic British understatement, murmured that there had “been discussions” at the break. He was later heard describing World War II as “a bit of a scuffle”. And the Fergie Fury clearly worked, as — hold on to your hats for a line you won’t see here again — Mickey Phelan got it spot on afterwards: “I thought we performed heroically in the second half.” Me too, Michael; 75 minutes with ten men and a line-up hobbled from the off by an over-tinkering management, and yet for much of the often-thrilling second half I wouldn’t have put a penny on Fulham, even at tens.