Ferguson fuming over Brown tackle

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has accused Fulham’s Michael Brown of threatening Ryan Giggs’ career with a vicious tackle at Old Trafford last weekend.

Television replays showed Brown appear to deliberately stamp on Giggs’ leg as the pair tussled for possession by the touchline during United’s 5-1 win.

Amazingly, referee Andre Marriner only booked Brown for the tackle, meaning the midfielder will serve no punishment.

At a time when United are without Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes for three games following their dismissals in a pre-season friendly with Porto, Brown’s escape, and the prospect Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher will also avoid Football Association punishment for his horror challenge on Pedro Mendes this week, it has only heightened Ferguson’s sense of injustice.

“It is not fair,” he blasted.

“If you go back a couple of years, Wayne Rooney got a three-match ban for tickling Tal Ben Haim, yet Brown gets away with a career-threatening tackle like that on Ryan Giggs.

“In fairness, it was FIFA who changed the rule to ensure nothing can be done once a referee shows a yellow card and that is something we have to life with.

“But it has to be said, the workings of the FA disciplinary committee is something that will always bemuse us.”