12 Things Man Utd Want You To Forget About Sir Alex Ferguson

5. 'Pizzagate'

Ferguson is renowned as a revered figure in England and one who commands total and complete respect. So it was unfortunate when his reputation as a stern disciplinarian was sullied during the petty melee that followed a highly-contentious win over Arsenal at Old Trafford in 2004. Usually referred to today as the 'Battle of the Buffet' or, more popularly, 'Pizzagate', United and Arsenal players were involved in a furious tunnel bust up after the Red Devils had just put to an end the Gunner's imperious 49-game winning streak. Tempers flared and pizza - but also reported to have been coffee, tomato soup or pea soup - was hurled at Sir Alex, resulting in him having to get his suit dry cleaned. Cesc Fàbregas was later confirmed to have thrown the offending pizza in November 2011 by former Arsenal player Martin Keown on a phone-in show on BBC Radio 5 Live. In his autobiography, Ferguson said:

"They say it was Cesc Fabregas who threw the pizza at me but, to this day, I have no idea who the culprit is."