Well Rio and Vidic are already struggling so they'll play on Sunday. He's resting all the oldies tonight too. Rooney's changing nappies. That's the players so when will the mind games start? Little bit of pressure on the ref? Can't wait

My Fergie theory is that, the more noise he makes the more he thinks you are a threat.

However he must recognise that on current form United are in trouble come next weekend, so it will be interesting to see whether he goes down the intimidation route or the respectfully patronising one...

My Fergie theory is that, the more noise he makes the more he thinks you are a threat.

However he must recognise that on current form United are in trouble come next weekend, so it will be interesting to see whether he goes down the intimidation route or the respectfully patronising one...

He'll get tonights games out the way then turn his attentions toward us, probably having a pop for the rest of the entire week, culminating in a few more digs in the pre-match press conference on Friday.

I'm sure Anchelotti can handle all his old bollock's, our players have seen and heard it all before.

I just can't wait to see Drogba and Anelka run Ferdinand ragged!!

(Gone on Carlo - mention their defensive problems and how much they miss Ronaldo!!)

I agree with the above comments. How predictable is he?

If he is expecting Carlo to rise to any bait, im sure he is going to be thoroughly disappointed. The coolness and self-respect Ancelotti carries himself with has impressed the hell out of me.

Overlal I think Carlo holds the mental edge over Ferguson. Twice their teams met in major champions league clashes, and both times Milan came away with comprehensive wins.

Im not saying he has the measure of him, but Carlo and the team should go into this game with a much better mentality than the game at Old Trafford last year. I think everyone, rednose included, knows this is a very different Chelsea team from last year's

Media Angle

Ancellotti - on his way to retirement

Ferguson - Still passionate about winning everything, will go on forever

Earlier in the season Carlo said he wasn't going to get into mind games with Fergie, saying that little things worry little minds.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5684576,00.html

He just keeps going and going...

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5684576,00.html

He just keeps going and going...

It will be a great day when he finally retires. Now that he is back at his worst, it reminds me again of why Jose and him got along so well.

Who would've thought?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...Alan-Wiley.html

Sir Alex Ferguson has been hit with a four-match touchline ban and a £20,000 fine for suggesting referee Alan Wiley was unfit.

The Manchester United boss will immediately serve half of the ban, with two games suspended by the FA. The extra ban will be automatically activated should Ferguson be found guilty of a similar charge before the end of the 2010-11 season.

Ferguson admitted a charge of improper conduct at a personal hearing with the FA's regulatory commission.

The FA also warned Ferguson about his future conduct and told his comments after United's draw with Sunderland on October 3 were 'grossly improper'.

Commission chairman Peter Griffiths QC said after the hearing: 'Each member of the commission recognised Sir Alex Ferguson’s achievements and stature within the game.

'Having said that, it was made clear to Sir Alex that with such stature comes increased responsibilities.

'The Commission considered his admitted remarks, in the context in which they were made, were not just improper but were grossly improper and wholly inappropriate. He should never have said what he did say.'

The punishment is unlikely to placate those who had called for a UEFA-style stadium ban for Ferguson, which has been resisted by the FA.

He will still be able to instruct his team and watch for the stands during his ban for the home match against Everton on Saturday week and the visit to Portsmouth on November 28.

Following the 2-2 draw between United and Sunderland, Ferguson said: 'I was disappointed with the referee. It took him 30 seconds to make a booking and he didn't add any time for the goals.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson

Still furious: Sir Alex Ferguson is approached by the fourth official as he shows his anger during United's defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

'He just wasn't fit enough for a game of that standard. We have referees abroad as fit as butcher's dogs but it took him 30 seconds to book a player. I think he was doing it to take a rest. It was ridiculous.'

Sportsmail revealed soon after the attack that Wiley has been deeply hurt and had even considered quitting as a referee.

However, the Scot maintained his assertion that the fitness of referees in the Premier League remained an issue to be discussed.

After raising a furore, Ferguson said: 'I apologise to Mr Wiley for any personal embarrassment that my remarks may have caused and to the FA for going public with my views.

'My only intention in speaking publicly was to highlight what I believe to be a serious and important issue in the game, namely that the fitness levels of referees must match the ever-increasing demands of the modern game, which I hope will now be properly addressed through the appropriate formal channels.'

Ferguson continued to be outspoken in his comments about referees even after attracting the FA charge.

Following his side's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last month, Ferguson questioned whether Andre Marriner, who took charge of the game at Anfield, had the required experience for a match of such significance.

He also accused Martin Atkinson of being in an 'absolutely ridiculous' position when he awarded Chelsea the free-kick that led to their winner against United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

I like the fact that there's the extra ban, so maybe he will whine a little less during this season and the next. I wonder what excuses he will use if ManU struggle in future games if he can't badmouth the referee.

I'm surprised no one has actually just replied "ah" to this topic title ;)

Who would've thought?

this is a big smokescreen to hide the fact that both evans and rooney will escape punishment after sundays match.

wow ... there seems to be some fairness and justice left in this world

I'm shocked he got punished, especially to that degree. I guess with the suspended games he has to keep his trap sh*t

Earlier in the season Carlo said he wasn't going to get into mind games with Fergie, saying that little things worry little minds.

This is something I really appreciate about our manager. I know he has a rivalry with Jose, but even when his english improves I cant really see him engaging in wars of words here. He just doesnt seem like he is that type

Imagine where we'd be without the "respect" campaign!

Imagine where we'd be without the "respect" campaign!

Plumbing the depths of this excuse for a hearing, the bottom line has to be that, for some reason known only to themselves, the FA is satisfied that it has taken appropriate action. Peter Griffiths, QC, the chairman of the four-man commission said: “Each member of the commission recognised Sir Alex Ferguson’s achievements and stature within the game†and once again we can only assume that this was done by the now standard FA acknowledgement of bowing and scraping when he entered the room for a personal hearing that only took place after his spurious Plan B accusation [that Premiership referees in general are unfit] replaced all the slanderous stuff against Alan Wiley.

Somehow the crusading Scot, leading the fight against an inept refereeing profession that, in adversity, he always treats as a laughing stock anyway, must have persuaded the commission he has a ’cause’, otherwise why would they keep churning out the same old ineffectual punishment as before, on two previous and equally boorish occasions. Quite honestly, he gets away with red murder every time he sets foot in the place and who can blame the referees for being sick to death of such an obvious misuse of power and influence.

The Times today suggests a boycott of Old Trafford by referees in an effort to get their dignity back, but that would only antagonise those influential people in high places, setting the tone for a United front against the referees effrontery and, in such circumstances, it wouldn’t be long before the Sun and Sky were mobilised in a heaven-sent opportunity to humiliate officialdom once and for all. No, I would advocate a far more subtle approach based on the fact that Ferguson obviously gets all the 50-50 decisions going his way at regulatory commissions and, self-evidently, the refereeing profession is powerless to do anything about it. Well, need I say more about the reverse situation that could easily apply on the pitch? This would, of course, require referees to take unfair unilateral action against somebody [or his football team] when it wasn’t deserved, but I can think of someone who has been doing that sort of thing for ages - and getting away with it.