Crerand wouldn’t have shown Ruud’s restraint

MANCHESTER UNITED legend Paddy Crerand has praised the restraint shown by Ruud van Nistelrooy during the post-match fracas at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Football Association are expected to charge up to five Arsenal players for their part in the incident, which followed the final whistle of the goalless draw that saw van Nistelrooy miss an injury-time penalty.

Martin Keown, Ashley Cole, Ray Parlour and Lauren were all caught on TV jostling the Dutch front-man, who they believe played a major role in the controversial dismissal of Gunners skipper Patrick Vieira.

Van Nistelrooy refused to react, although there have been reports he squared up to Vieira in the players’ tunnel half an hour after the game had finished.

Crerand admitted that, faced with such provocation, he would not have been so calm, but claimed any retaliation could have led to a full-scale riot.

“I would have weighed straight back in, there is no danger of that,” he said.

Vieira alleged the Dutchman tried to stamp on him when the pair clashed 10 minutes from the end of the game.

Vieira kicked out as he laid on the ground, and believed his opponent’s exaggerated reaction, largely contributed to his dismissal.

In addition to the four men who jostled van Nistelrooy, keeper Jens Lehmann is likely to face an FA sanction for shoving an assistant referee as the row ensued, while the Arsenal club are to face a charge of failing to keep control of their players.

United could face a similar accusation, but Gary Neville is the only player expected to be in trouble.

Meanwhile, Alex Ferguson, who still has an FA charge pending following his four-letter tirade at Newcastle last month, will be without Ole Gunnar Solskjaer until the middle of December.

The Norwegian has failed to recover from a knee injury which has been bothering him for much of the campaign and Ferguson has decided to send him for an operation.

With Paul Scholes’ recovery from a hernia problem still in the balance and Brazilian World Cup winner Kleberson battling to overcome a broken shoulder, Ferguson may be forced to plunge teenage winger Cristiano Ronaldo into regular first-team action far quicker than he would have liked.