Beckham a victim of Ferguson's 'freak act of nature'

Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday described the incident in which he caused a cut above the eye of David Beckham as a "freak act of nature".

The Manchester United midfielder needed two stitches in the wound after a furious Ferguson accidentally kicked a football boot in his face following his team's 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Beckham arrived at United's training ground yesterday with his hair held back by an alice band, revealing the cut above his left eye.

But Ferguson said the incident had not soured relations between the two men, despite rumours that Beckham, who was substituted during the game through injury, had stormed out of the dressing room and left the ground early.

The manager was asked on Granada Reports, the regional news programme, about the episode. "That happens in a dressing room. It's a freak act of nature. It happens and it's over. It's a freak and never happens again," he said.

Ferguson – previously nicknamed The Hairdryer – admitted that he was furious after the defeat, but added: "It was more than me who was upset."

The Arsenal manager Arséne Wenger, who enjoys a fierce rivalry with Ferguson, will have done little to endear himself to the 61-year-old Scot yesterday when he talked about how he keeps his own emotions in check.

"The bigger your animal is inside, the more you have to keep it in control," he said before adding that for him "it is under control". "There is a big animal in there but you learn to control yourself and your reactions," he added.

"I have learnt to control and focus on my job. In football you learn that what is important is that when the game is over, it is over and you think about the next one.

"Of course you get the frustration when you lose and the biggest problem to handle in our job is the disappointment."

The Frenchman, who has admitted to losing his temper when he was a younger manager, added: "You act with your personality. For some it is to be cool, for some it is to be hot-headed."

He famously exploded at the Arsenal players after they were being beaten 5-1 at half-time in a Premiership match against Manchester United, before eventually losing 6-1. "Well, we were losing 5-1 at half-time and I was worried it could end 10-2," he said yesterday when reminded of the incident.

"I have never seen a manager who does not care. You can take an easy chair in the dressing room and say 'it's okay we are 5-1 down' and say 'I don't care. Go out and do it again'."

His words may probably only serve to infuriate Ferguson further.