United ‘regret’ comments by Fergie

MANCHESTER UNITED have expressed their regret at comments made by manager Alex Ferguson over the punishments handed to Arsenal players by the Football Association in October.

Arsenal and five of their players received fines totalling £275,000 and suspensions adding up to nine games over the ugly scenes which marred their Premiership clash with United at Old Trafford in September.

Ferguson, however, voiced the suspicion that Arsenal had concluded a secret deal with the FA to water down their sentence, but the club have accepted assurances that this was not the case.

A club statement read: “Manchester United have received assurances from the Football Association that there is no truth whatsoever in newspaper reports that the FA was involved in some kind of arrangement with Arsenal FC to agree the penalties for a number of Arsenal’s players over the incident at Old Trafford on September 21. Both Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson accept such assurances unreservedly and express their regrets to the FA for any comments made by Sir Alex at his press conference on October 31 which may have appeared to have called into question the integrity of the FA’s disciplinary process, or given credence to any suggestion of a lack of impartiality whether in relation to the Arsenal case or on any other occasion.”

Ferguson yesterday said he is “feeling fine” after treatment for a heart condition. The 61-year-old was back at Old Trafford to take charge of the team ahead of today’s match against Villa. United confirmed that further investigation into his slightly irregular heartbeat revealed he has “no underlying cardiac abnormality.”