12月13日英超曼联俱乐部举行的例行新闻发布会上，曼联队主教练弗格森终于“爆发”了，怒斥媒体对老特拉福德怀着“一颗憎恨的心”。

    据英国《卫报》12月13日报道，本赛季的曼联队不仅未能获得欧洲冠军联赛小组出线，在国内联赛中的表现也只能用“战战兢兢”来形容，为此，作为主教练的弗格森一直以来都在承受着来自媒体等各方面的批评。但显然这一次老爵爷有些沉不住气。在当日的新闻发布会上，弗格森对媒体近期的批评大发雷霆，不过在盛怒之余，他也没忘利用这样的机会号召曼联球迷给球队打气，帮助曼联度过这段困难时期。

    “他们（媒体）对曼联怀有一种憎恨，”弗格森在新闻发布会上怒不可遏地说：“他们总是喋喋不休。我们是一家著名的大俱乐部，他们的做法已经开始有点过界。对此，我也不是一点也不能理解，但他们确实有些过分。他们想做的就是分裂俱乐部，拉开球员同球迷之间的距离。我想我们的球迷对此是一目了然的，决不会上当。”

    “当曼联处在辉煌时期的时候，我们的球迷就站在身后支持我们。而唯一能让我们念念不忘的正是来自球迷的大力支持。”弗格森表示：“几个星期前，当我们在联赛中迎战切尔西队时，我们的球迷群情激昂。在比赛中，球迷和球员相互支持，我们最终击败了对手。球迷和球员相互支持是这个俱乐部历来的传统。在我们队所取得的历次成就中，球迷的支持是不可或缺的一部分。”

    12月14日，曼联队将同维冈竞技队进行一场联赛补赛。由于12月10日在主场同近期状态回升的埃弗顿队遗憾地打成了1：1平局，曼联近期在联赛中的连胜势头也嘎然而止。目前，曼联已被切尔西队拉下12分，因此，本场比赛被看作是曼联继续追赶并缩小同切尔西队积分差距的一次好机会。

    虽然已经被联赛“领头羊”远远地甩在后头，但弗格森坚持认为，如果不是切尔西队连续获胜的原因，曼联目前的处境也应该算是不错的。

    “现在我们都面临着一个很大的问题。”弗格森在谈到联赛面临的压力时表示：“由于切尔西队连续和稳定的发挥，其他球队希望夺得联赛冠军的努力都变得十分困难。然而仔细计算一下我们目前的积分，你就会发现我们现在的成绩其实比前4甚至前6个赛季同期的成绩都要好。除切尔西之外的所有英超球队都会有这样的看法，即如果和以往比，他们的成绩都还不错。但显然切尔西队连续稳定的表现让所有其他球队，而不仅仅是曼联，都感觉到问题的存在。”

    在发表完上述“演讲”后，弗格森拂袖而去，离开新闻发布会，而此时，英国的新闻媒体仅仅完成了一次提问。

    据报道，在14日同维冈的比赛中，此前受停赛处罚的曼联队前锋范尼将回到锋线，不过后卫希尔维斯特由于在同埃弗顿队的比赛中与对方球员相撞受伤，本轮他的位置很有可能被维斯·布朗取代。

    目前，维冈竞技队在英超联赛中暂时排名第7，该队在联赛中已经连续经历了4连败，状态同赛季之初已经不可同日而语。

    Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson today stormed out of a press conference after claiming the national media "have a hatred" of the Old Trafford club.

    Clearly irritated by the criticism that aimed at him since the team's Champions League elimination and jittery Premiership performances, Ferguson also took the opportunity to call on United supporters to rally behind the team in its hour of need.

    "They [the press] have a hatred of Manchester United," Ferguson claimed. "It's always been there. That goes with the territory, I suppose, of us being such a high profile club. I can understand that a little, but they go over the top. What they try and do is fragment the club, the players from the supporters and supporters from the players. I think our fans are aware of that and I don't think they will fall into that trap.

    "When we are at our best the fans are right behind us, and that's the only thing that should matter," added Ferguson, who later walked out of a news conference with the national papers after just one question.

    United supporters will fill Old Trafford for tomorrow's league clash with Wigan as Ferguson's side try to close a 12-point deficit on league leaders Chelsea. "A few weeks ago when we played Chelsea the fans were up for it and when they are up for it we get up for it with them," Ferguson said. "It has always been that way at this club. The supporters have always been a fundamental part of our success."

    United's first ever game against Wigan, who are playing in the top-flight of English football for the first time in their history, is their match in hand on Chelsea. The 1-1 draw against Everton ended a run of four successive league wins and Ferguson said his side's position would be a strong one were it not for Chelsea's ability to keep on winning.

    "We have all got a problem because Chelsea's consistent form makes it difficult to win the league," he said. "If you look at our present points total, it's better than four of the last six seasons at this time of year.

    "Most of the teams below Chelsea will be thinking that in a normal season they are doing quite well. But obviously the Chelsea consistency is a problem for all of us, not just for Manchester United."

    Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy returns from suspension to face Wigan, who are seventh in the table but have lost their last four games following a superb start to the season.

    United defender Mikael Silvestre is an injury doubt after picking up a knock against Everton and Wes Brown may take his place.