Pires: Police right to calm managers' spat

Arsenal winger Robert Pires has applauded the role of the police in calming tensions between Gunners boss Arsene Wenger and Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.

The managers had been involved in a very public exchange of opinions, which had become personal, and were this week told to keep their views to themselves in the run-up to their next meeting at Highbury on February 1 to avoid tensions escalating among fans.

“It’s good that the police tried to calm down the tensions between Ferguson and Wenger who are both great coaches,” said Pires, who was a second-half substitute when the Gunners lost 2-0 at Old Trafford in October.

There were allegations of food being thrown in the players’ tunnel after the first game when tensions ran high.

Pires revealed: “The first match was under high pressure and we will see what happens in the return match.

“I think Wenger and Ferguson are capable to stop fighting through the media. If they keep doing it it could tempt the supporters to do the same.

“They (the fans) might think that if it is highly tense between the coaches they could start fighting between them.

“Once again I think it was a good thing that the police intervened to calm down the tensions, it was taking too important proportions.”