United prepare explosive tunnel dossier

MANCHESTER UNITED'S ongoing feud with Arsenal will spill over into Soho Square next week when Red Devils officials dump an explosive dossier on the FA chronicling the Battle of Old Trafford II.

United are furious over Arsene Wenger's persistent denials of a tunnel bust-up involving his players following Sunday's stormy Premiership encounter, even though Alex Ferguson was forced to change clothes to conduct post-match TV interviews after being splattered by pizza and food thrown from the visitors' dressing room.

The Old Trafford outfit have been further enraged by Wenger's allegations of foul play during the game, particularly his cheat jibe at Ruud van Nistelrooy in the wake of his horrendous challenge on Ashley Cole.

Having admitted a charge of serious foul play, Van Nistelrooy has now served one game of an automatic three-match suspension.

And, after acting in what they view as a responsible manner over the Dutchman's conduct, United are determined the striker will not be the only one punished.

The club are currently collating evidence from Sunday with the diligence of a forensic expert having been asked to launch an investigation by the FA. And when their findings are eventually handed over to the governing body, it will also include a so-called 'Tape of Tackles', which will highlight Arsenal indiscretions during the game and could yet lead to Gunners players suffering the same fate as Van Nistelrooy.

"I am very disappointed at the comments that have come out of the Arsenal camp," said Ferguson. "But we are doing our own thing. We have launched our own investigation into Arsenal. We are collating a lot of information and there are a lot of statements being made by witnesses, which we will be forwarding to the FA. Then we will let them get on with it."

There has been bad blood between English football's dominant pair on and off the pitch over the last few years.

While Ferguson and Wenger have been deeply critical of each other's teams at times, there has also been widespread suspicion in the United camp about the influence Gunners' vice-chairman David Dein wields at the Football Association.

Dein met with United chief executive David Gill in Manchester on Wednesday in an attempt to diffuse the tension between the two clubs.

"Ruud would never deliberately try and hurt anyone," said Ferguson. "But we have to accept the tackle looked bad. The nature of football means that something like that can happen. It was 1.7 seconds from the time he controlled the ball to the challenge on Cole. But Ruud accepts his responsibility in this situation and so do we."

In the meantime, United must do without their prolific striker for today's testing trip to Fratton Park.

"If we are to challenge the way we always have done, we have to get the winning habit back. Winning last week was a start for us because I feel our season has never really got underway. The injuries and suspensions were a lot to do with that but now there are signs that everyone is coming back.

"We have Roy Keane back tomorrow, so only Quinton Fortune and Ruud van Nistelrooy are out. Make no mistake, tomorrow's game is a key one for us."

Today's Fratton Park clash is the featured game on Today FM's award-winning Premiership Live programme, from 2pm, with Tim Tuomey.