Ferguson stokes up Benitez rift

Sir Alex Ferguson has questioned why Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez found it necessary to talk about the Scot ahead of Chelsea's 3-1 Champions League win.

The two men have been verbally sparring since January when Benitez spoke out about Ferguson's treatment of referees.

And Benitez reignited the war of words on Tuesday when he claimed Ferguson was running scared of Liverpool.

Ferguson said: "The interesting thing is Rafa's got a European tie coming up and he's is talking about me."

The United manager was speaking on Friday, ahead of the Premier League leaders' visit to Sunderland.

"That's fantastic. I didn't know I was that important," added Ferguson.

Asked another question about Benitez, Ferguson smiled and said simply: "I have no further comment to make."

Ferguson, whose side lead Liverpool by a point with a game in hand, insisted there was nothing wrong in managers talking about rival clubs.

"If you ask me a question about other teams, I give you an opinion," he said.

"Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was talking about Manchester United a couple of weeks ago.

"He was asked a question and I had to dampen down what he said - that United were the new untouchables - because I knew all the dangers of it.

"But it was a fair answer at the time, given the way people looked at our club a few weeks ago."

And Ferguson suggested that Chelsea's Champions League midweek victory would have given Guus Hiddink's side a real boost.

"Chelsea will be very buoyed up now. That is what happens when you get a really important result. And that was a good performance."