Arsene Wenger: 'Ferguson should have been punished'

By Michael Penkman, Reporter | 28 December 2012

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that Sir Alex Ferguson should have been punished for clashing with referee Mike Dean on Wednesday night.

Arsene Wenger believes that the Football Association should have punished Sir Alex Ferguson following his angry confrontation with referee Mike Dean on Wednesday night.

The Scot raged at Dean's decision to overrule his linesman and allow Jonny Evans's own goal to stand, despite Papiss Cisse being flagged offside.

Ferguson, who also remonstrated with the fourth official, escaped FA punishment for his actions, but Wenger believes that he should have incurred some sort of sanction.

"If he didn't behave like he should have done, then yes [he should have been punished]," Wenger told reporters.

"Whether it's me or Fergie or anyone else in the world, the rules are the rules. It is not rules for one person and rules for another. It's the same for everybody.

"Should you behave like that? No. I did not always behave as I should and you can call that a bad example, yes. So when you go overboard, you have to be punished."

Manchester United went on to claim a dramatic 4-3 win over Newcastle United.