Benitez´s feud with Fergie won´t affect title race - Wenger

AFP - 10 January 2009 19:30

Arsenal´s manager Arsene Wenger (C) watches from the sidelines during his team´s Premiership match against Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium in London. Wenger insists Rafael Benitez´s astonishing rant at Sir Alex Ferguson will have no effect on the Premier League title race.

LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists Rafael Benitez's astonishing rant at Sir Alex Ferguson will have no effect on the Premier League title race.

Manchester United manager Ferguson was the target of a vicious attack from Benitez on Friday, with the Liverpool boss suggesting his rival influenced referees and was effectively granted impunity from the footballing authorities.

Wenger has regularly been on the receiving end of Ferguson's mind games since taking over at Arsenal in 1996, but he does not expect Benitez's outburst - prompted by suggestions from Ferguson that Liverpool would crack under the pressure of being championship contenders - to impact on the eventual destination of the league trophy.

"It came as a surprise," he said. "Benitez is usually a quiet man but I don't know what it is about. He was very angry on Friday and it will certainly affect their relationship but it's hard to determine what effect it has on the team.

"There was the famous story of Kevin Keegan losing his cool at Newcastle after Ferguson said some things, and how that cost Newcastle the title that year.

"But I'm not convinced by that. That season, I think it was more Newcastle's defensive frailty which cost them the title, not the manager losing his calm."