Hughes' sack infuriates Ferguson

IN solidarity with his former player, Manchester United's coach Alex Ferguson has branded Manchester City's handling of Mark Hughes' dismissal as "unacceptable."

Hughes was sacked immediately after last weekend's victory over Sunderland, even though it had been common knowledge throughout the day that his time as Blues' chief was up. City has come under fire this week for the way it had gone about installing Roberto Mancini as Hughes' successor.

City Chief Executive, Garry Cook, has attempted to defend his position, though that has only managed to draw more ire from his club's interrogators. And, in any case, Ferguson feels that Cook is trying to defend the indefensible, saying: "It is so obvious that kind of behaviour is not acceptable.