LONDON: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson launched an angry attack on Newcastle manager Alan Pardew on Friday, accusing the Londoner of hypocrisy and labelling the north east team as "a wee club".

Pardew had risked the wrath of Ferguson by criticising the Scot for his aggressive attitude towards the referee and officials during United's 4-3 win over Newcastle on Boxing Day.

The Football Association said on Thursday that no action would be taken after Mike Dean did not mention anything in his referee's report.

But on Friday Ferguson chose to attack Pardew.

"Alan Pardew has come out and criticised me," Ferguson said.

"He is the worst at haranguing referees. He shoves them and makes a joke of it. How he can criticise me is unbelievable. He forgets the help I gave him, by the way."

Ferguson was angry at a goal given against United in the Newcastle match and Pardew said later that Mike Dean "will have been slightly disappointed he did not take action at the time".

"I was demonstrative but I was not out of order," Ferguson said.

"The press have had a field day. The only person they have not spoken to is Barack Obama because he's busy.

"It is unfortunate but I am the manager of the most famous club in the world. Not Newcastle, a wee club in the northeast.

"I was demonstrative. I am always demonstrative. Everyone knows that. I am an emotional guy. But I was not abusive.

"I shouted Mike over. We walked toward each other. I was only on (the pitch) three or four yards. That has been overplayed."