Angry Ferguson leaps to defence of Solskjaer

Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, launched another attack on Arsenal yesterday when he suggested the London club should look at their own conduct before accusing his Norwegian striker, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, of feigning injury.

Ferguson was angered by suggestions that Solskjaer had tried to make the most of the elbowing incident for which Sol Campbell was sent off in the latter stages of Wednesday's 2-2 draw between the two sides at Highbury. Campbell pleaded his innocence and Arsenal have lodged an appeal with the Football Association. If he is unsuccessful, he will serve a four-game ban which will rule him out of the title run-in and next month's FA Cup final with Southampton.

Ferguson said: "The thing that angers me most is that, all of a sudden, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a villain. The Arsenal players are attacking him verbally and Thierry Henry apparently had a punch at him. I can't believe that reaction. They should be looking at their own players before turning on ours, because the very least you can say is that Sol was silly. It was quite clear on television that he has looked round to see where Ole is and has hit him with his elbow.

"Ole is one of the best professionals in the game. He is respected by everyone, yet I haven't heard one word from Highbury saying: 'How is your player?' He could have had a broken nose, he could have had a black eye, he could have had a broken jaw, yet there is all this defence of Sol Campbell. I find it amazing."

The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, will confirm in the club's matchday magazine today that Dennis Bergkamp intends to extend his career at Highbury for one final season when his contract runs out. "Dennis has said that he wants to stay here. I want him to stay for another year and to finish his career here," Wenger wrote.