Vieira ref rant puzzles Fergie

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is trying to work out whether Manchester City are actively trying to lure him into a war of words.

Last week, Ferguson responded to a jibe from City’s football development executive Patrick Vieira about Paul Scholes’ retirement U-turn being an act of desperation by calling Roberto Mancini’s decision to select Carlos Tevez exactly the same thing.

The United boss also warned that he had “plenty of ammunition” for the mind games that lie ahead over the pivotal final few weeks of the season.