Ahead of our clash with Stoke City, Sir Alex Ferguson has been asked whether he shares the opinion of Arsenal’s manager on Stoke’s approach to the game.

This season, Wenger has accused Stoke of using rugby tactics and even went as far as criticising Stoke’s captain Ryan Shawcross for a non-event in a game which didn’t even involve Arsenal.

Whilst not a fan of Stoke’s approach to the game, Sir Alex recognises that we should expect different styles in the Premiership.

“I suppose Arsene Wenger has been one of their main critics but then the Arsenal manager does go off on a tangent at times,” said Fergie. “For instance, he criticised our pitch after they lost here just before Christmas and I was at a loss to understand why. Stoke at home are a terrific side and have taken points off teams like Manchester City and Liverpool this season. People have criticised their physical style of play but they stick to what they do best. And the rest of us must recognise that at the top level you have to be prepared for different styles.”

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Dirtiest players in the PL – 2010/2011
1. Kevin Davies 67 fouls
2. Tim Cahill 49 fouls
3. Cheik Tiote 44 fouls
4. Andrew Carroll 41 fouls
5. Alex Song 40 fouls
13. Dean Whitehead 29 fouls