Angry Benitez hits out at rival Ferguson

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez launched a stinging attack on Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson yesterday, accusing him of being the only manager who escapes punishment for outspoken comments on referees.

Benitez was prompted into his tirade following claims by Ferguson, reported by the media, that the league leaders could choke in the run-in for the Premier League title.

He pointed to the case last April when Ferguson was charged by the FA for improper conduct after comments made about referee Martin Atkinson and English referees' chief Keith Hackett but was later cleared.

"He was not punished. He is the only manager in the English league that cannot be punished for these things," he told a news conference, consulting prepared notes on the subject.

Ferguson had said in a television interview that Atkinson had been "on Portsmouth's side" in United's shock 1-0 home defeat in an FA Cup quarter-final and accused Hackett of not doing his job properly.

A clearly riled Benitez went on to criticise Ferguson for bemoaning the fixtures schedule when champions United appeared to have a favourable timetable coming up.

"The second half of the league they will play at home against all the teams at the top of the table which I think is a fantastic advantage," said the Spaniard.

He suggested two ways of avoiding any future complaints about the fixtures, saying one was to use the Spanish system where all teams know when they will be playing and this is not subject to change to fit in with television schedules.

"Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is simple," he said.

He said Ferguson must have made his comments about Liverpool possibly finding the pressure too much because he was getting worried the title was slipping away from United.

"I think they are nervous because we are at the top of the table. I want to be clear that I don't want to play mind games too early," said Benitez, whose side lead Chelsea by three points and third-placed United, who have two games in hand, by seven.