United chief Gill hits back at Benitez

MANCHESTER UNITED chief executive David Gill has hit back at Rafael Benitez following the Liverpool manager’s recent verbal tirade against the club.

Benitez criticised United counterpart Alex Ferguson ahead of last weekend’s Premier League fixtures, claiming he has been allowed to go unpunished when criticising referees.

The Spaniard then questioned the influence Gill has on the FA due to his position on the board at the governing body of football in England.

Benitez said: “When you have control of everything and your chief executive is powerful in the FA and things like this, then that is not mind games.

“Is there a conflict of interest with David Gill at the FA?

“That is another fact. It is a fact that one person has a lot of power and control, and is on a lot of committees in the FA. To me that is very strange.”

But Gill has defended his position, insisting there is no conflict of interest between his role at Manchester United and with the FA.

“His comments on my position are totally inaccurate,” said Gill, in Macau at the launch of United’s tour of Asia, which takes place later this year.

“The reality of it is that on the FA board sit three representatives of the Premier League in Premier League chairman Dave Richards, Bolton chairman Phil Gartside and myself.

“They are elected every year by every club in the Premier League and when we are on the board we are there representing the Premier League and I am not there representing United.

“The reality is that when you look at the decisions and issues I think anyone would understand that we don’t get special treatment because of that.

“I was surprised (by Benitez’s comments) and I think they are totally inaccurate.”