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PREMIER LEAGUE | PETER WALTON

Talking about rivals’ foul play is an old Alex Ferguson ploy

Peter Walton
The Times

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has clearly learnt from the master. Sir Alex Ferguson was always trying to put an idea in the referee’s mind before a game and Solskjaer has taken on his technique, saying that he expects Manchester City to kick his Manchester United players to stop counterattacks in tonight’s derby.

But the FA has introduced rules prohibiting managers from commenting before a match on referees or refereeing appointments, so the Manchester United manager risks getting into trouble. Andre Marriner will also be aware of the comments — in the social media age it is not possible to escape hearing these things. But referees are taught to have the mental capacity to put it out of their mind.

That is why psychologists work with those