FERGIE WAS WEATHER BEATEN

Alex Ferguson made bizarre bid to get Manchester United game called off due to bad conditions when really he was worried about having no centre-backs, says ex-referee Howard Webb

By Ian Tuckey

19th October 2016, 10:25 pm

Updated: 7th November 2016, 4:55 pm

EVERYONE’S heard of Fergie time.

But now top referee Howard Webb says Alex Ferguson tried to create Fergie weather – in a bizarre attempt to get a match called off when Manchester United had no fit centre-backs.

PA:Press Association

Alex Ferguson alegedly turned to creative thinking to tackle defensive woes

EPA

United fringe player Anderson and Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy tussle in a shock 3-0 win for the Londoners back in December 2009

Webb gave an amazing pre-match account from the day Fulham beat United 3-0 in the Premier League at Craven Cottage on December 9 2009.

The official said: “He tried to get me to postpone a game once because he had no central defenders.

“He had to put Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick as his central defensive partnership and he mentioned that the pitch was frozen.

“But I think it was about 15° that day!”

Two fringe players, keeper Tomasz Kuszczak and Ritchie De Laet, now with Aston Villa, were the only orthodox defenders in United‘s line-up.

PA:Press Association

Bobby Zamora fends off United defender Ritchie De Laet on a December day when the striker boosted his England hopes with his 10th goal of the 2009-10 season

PA:Press Association Archive

Then-manager Roy Hodgson and assistant Ray Lewington had one of their best results with Fulham as they topped United in their last season at Craven Cottage

EPA

Wayne Rooney was in his pomp but failed to stop United slumping to a heavy loss

Reuters

Ex-Liverpool playmaker Murphy revels in bagging the opening goal of a convincing Fulham win, Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff netting after the break

Antonio Valencia, Carrick and Fletcher completed the backline as United endured a defensive crisis that month.

Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff deservedly sunk Fergie’s men, leaving them second-placed in the Premier League, three points behind then-leaders Chelsea.

Then-Cottagers chief Roy Hodgson, who took the England job the following summer, said afterwards: “We played against a very wounded United but we couldn’t do more than try to take advantage of that.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues finished top that season, with United runners-up, 10 points clear of Arsenal in third spot.

Webb, meanwhile, retired in 2014, four years after becoming the first ref to take charge of both the Champions League and World Cup finals in the same season.

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