Football: Curbishley hits back over Vieira

THE CHARLTON manager, Alan Curbishley, has hit back at Patrick Vieira as the war of words continues over the Arsenal player's sending- off at The Valley eight days ago.

Curbishley's opposite number, Arsene Wenger, last week accused Charlton's Neil Redfearn of "cheating" by feigning a facial injury so that referee Uriah Rennie would send Vieira off for swinging an elbow. But Curbishley insisted: "Vieira was the one who was cheating because he was breaking football laws by using violent conduct."

Vieira, who was red-carded for the fourth time in his 27 month-long Arsenal career, will now start a three-match suspension next Monday unless his club succeed in an appeal to the Football Association to have the sending- off decision rescinded.

However, Curbishley said: "I don't believe Arsenal have any hope of getting the decision overturned. Vieira raised an elbow with the intent to injure Redfearn and the fact that the elbow did not connect with his face is irrelevant."

Curbishley's comments follow an attack by Manchester United's Alex Ferguson on the Double-winners, accusing their players of enjoying a "scrap".