Viral Video of the Day: Sir Alex Ferguson, Roberto Mancini Clash Along Touchline

Sir Alex Ferguson: Manager. Legend. No use at all for irony.

Monday's Manchester Derby—won 1-0 by Manchester City—featured a brilliant touchline confrontation between Ferguson and Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini.

The incident sparked to life after Nigel De Jong's kamikaze challenge from behind on United's Danny Welbeck, a challenge that sent Ferguson into conniption fits while screaming at Manicni.

Like I said, it was brilliant. Watch the whole thing above.

Both managers looked genuinely peeved. Both mocked the other. Both appeared ready to scream at the fourth official to "HOLD ME BACK, MAN! I'MA GET THIS #@$&!"

In the immediate aftermath, Twitter exploded with speculation over who would win a fight between Ferguson (who's 70, frumpy and often incoherent) and Mancini (who retired as a player only 11 years ago, is only 47 and is clearly still in shape).

Apparently I was in the minority for backing Mancini. That's fine, though. I'll win more money that way when the fight finally goes down.

Anyway, the confrontation capped City's 1-0 win, the latest twist in an absorbing title match. Afterward, Ferguson claimed it was all the fault of that mean Mancini, who in his maniacal quest to win had resorted to dastardly measures by talking to the fourth official.

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"He refereed the game," Ferguson said of Mancini. "He was out on that touchline the whole game haranguing the referee, the fourth official and the linesmen. The minute I come off the bench for a bad tackle by De Jong on Welbeck, he was out again. He can't have it both ways. He's been complaining about referees this season but he won't be complaining tonight that's for sure."

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Ferguson himself accosts the officials only rarely occasionally sometimes often frequently all the frickin' time. So his complaints will have fallen on deaf ears across the globe.

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"Who said this? Him, no? He doesn't talk with the referee or the fourth official? No, never," said Mancini. "I didn't speak with him, he came towards me, but I can understand. I said nothing against him, only spoke to the fourth official."

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Still, Ferguson is no Arsene Wenger. After the match, he swallowed his pride (momentarily, or at least until he could whine to the softball-question-lobbing media) and shook Mancini's hand along the touchline after United's damaging, possibly damning loss.

Oh, and at one point Liam Gallagher celebrated the win through an interpretive dance to the tune of his own song, "Wonderwall."

Aww, that's nice. After all, it wouldn't be like our new mega-money Premiership overlords to bring the boring.

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