Sir Alex Ferguson riled by added time in defeat by Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson complained that the four minutes of injury time added to his team’s defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday was an “insult”.

Clint Dempsey’s decider helped Spurs win 3-2 to triumph at Old Trafford for the first time in 23 years.

Ferguson said: “It was disappointing because the record has been fantastic. They gave us four minutes [injury time]. That’s an insult to the game.

“It denies you a proper chance to win a football match.”

Andre Villas Boas’s side went two goals ahead as Jan Vertonghen scored within two minutes and Gareth Bale added another in the first half, before a frantic period after the break where three goals came in two minutes.

Nani reduced the deficit but a minute later Dempsey made it 3-1 and although Shinji Kagawa closed the gap once more, Spurs defended stoutly to hang on.

Ferguson told BBC Sport: “There were six substitutions, the trainer came on, so that’s four minutes right away and the goalkeeper must have wasted about two or three minutes and they took their time at every goal kick. That’s obvious to everyone today and it’s a flaw in the game that the referee is responsible for time-keeping. It’s ridiculous that it’s 2012 and the referee still has control of that.”

Meanwhile, Ferguson is hoping Rio Ferdinand has given up on his England career. With John Terry announcing his retirement from international football, there has been speculation that England boss Roy Hodgson may at last turn to 33-year-old Ferdinand, who was famously overlooked for Euro 2012.

Ferguson said at the weekend: “Rio could do the job for England, no doubt about that. But I don’t see why he should. He should concentrate on his career here, that’s what I’d prefer.”