Alex Ferguson launches attack on Alan Hansen after jibe

Sir Alex Ferguson wants 'positive witty and loud' support from United fans at Liverpool (EPA)

Sir Alex Ferguson has launched a stinging attack on Alan Hansen and predicted the former Liverpool defender will end up looking silly for claiming Manchester United had not played well for 18 months.

Ferguson has always had a frosty relationship with Hansen, dating back to 1986, when he left the stylish central defender out of his Scotland World Cup squad.

In more recent times, it is a source of some amusement to the United boss that Hansen came out with that famous line about never winning anything with kids in his first assessment of the group that went on to dominate the English game.

However, Ferguson has been annoyed by the recent condemnation of his side, with Hansen at the head of the queue.

And, in his programme notes ahead of tonight's Premier League encounter with Stoke at Old Trafford, the United boss made it clear he feels Hansen is well wide of the mark.

"After the Arsenal game, one of the London papers said we were the worst United team he has seen, and I noticed Alan Hansen was at it again, saying we had not played well for one and a half years," Ferguson told United Review.

"I reckon that comment goes alongside his claim a few years ago that you don't win anything with youngsters, and you know how he ended up with egg on his face after dismissing the Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Gary Neville crop of kids so foolishly.

"Maybe he was just trying to rattle us on the eve of going to play his old club at Anfield in the cup at the weekend.

"I don't know how some of the critics come to their conclusions.

"Yes, we have had our bad days (who doesn't?), losing to Manchester City and then folding against Blackburn before crashing out of the FA Cup.

"Forget the fact that we had 14 players out with injury for the Blackburn fixture and that we were missing a few at Liverpool; we won't use injuries as a crutch, we will simply concentrate on getting our message across out on the pitch.

"I have every confidence that we will give a good account of ourselves - even perhaps play well enough to convince pundit Hansen."

PA