Peace summit to end feud

14 April 2012

Directors at Arsenal and Manchester United are considering calling a peace summit to bring an end to the damaging feud between the two clubs.

According to senior sources at Highbury and Old Trafford, moves are under way to arrange a meeting at boardroom level to prevent a repeat of the scenes which marred Sunday's Premiership clash.

The Football Association are still looking into the tunnel row which followed United's 2-0 victory. But their inquiries have been hampered by a lack of evidence after Greater Manchester Police said they did not have any witnesses near the dressing room area at Old Trafford.

Today speculation grew as to the identity of the Arsenal player who threw the slice of pizza which hit United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Cesc Fabregas and Ashley Cole were both named as possible suspects for their part in the row.

Last night United's Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy accepted a three-match ban for his horror tackle on Ashley Cole. He was charged by the FA with serious foul play after officials viewed TV replays of the challenge, missed at the time by referee Mike Riley.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is also under the spotlight for his criticism of Van Nistelrooy and Riley in the aftermath of the match, which ended the Gunners' 49-match unbeaten streak.

Despite the animosity between the players and coaching staff, relations between directors at boardroom level are said to be very good. United chief executive David Gill and Arsenal vice-chairman David Gill are both members of the FA Council and regularly meet at Premiership shareholders meetings and G14 summits.

According to a United source, the club would not publicise a meeting between the two sides to discuss the issue. But he acknowledged an informal conversation was a distinct possibility.

Arsenal, meanwhile, would welcome the move as a way to repair the damage done to both clubs' reputations by Sunday's encounter. While remaining unrepentant for his comments and the actions of his players yesterday, Wenger said the match had shattered English football's image abroad. The game was screened live in 186 countries.

Both clubs are anxious to ensure there is no repeat when the clubs meet at Highbury on 1 February or at Old Trafford next season.

The move would be welcomed by the FA, who are hamstrung by the lack of neutral evidence about the events of Sunday. It would make an inquiry redundant, but a joint statement of intent would be needed.

The last time the FA brokered a peace meeting between the two sides was in 2003, after a match at Highbury which saw Sol Campbell banned for four games for elbowing Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.

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Peace summit to end feud

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