A furious Sir Alex Ferguson ruthlessly dismantled four of his former Manchester United stars while simultaneously letting one club legend off the hook in an “unbelievable” moment.
That is according to ex-Manchester United star Lee Sharpe, who was one of the former players on the receiving end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s scathing criticism.
Sharpe arrived at Old Trafford under Ferguson after United signed him from Torquay United in 1988 for a transfer fee believed to be £200,000.
The 52-year-old former United winger made 246 appearances and scored 34 times and picked up 29 assists, with Sharpe lifting three Premier League titles at the club.
Sharpe, who also captured two FA Cups, a League Cup and a European Cup Winners’ Cup with United, left Old Trafford in 1996 and signed for Leeds United.
The ex-Red Devils player has openly spoken about his time at Old Trafford, including his relationship with one United legend both on the pitch and off it.
Sharpe talks Man Utd legend’s infamous moment
Lee Sharpe was already in the Manchester United dressing room when Eric Cantona completed his sensational move to the Red Devils from Leeds United in 1992.
A larger-than-life figure on the pitch, Eric Cantona was a hugely influential figure for Sir Alex Ferguson and hoovered up the major silverware at Old Trafford.
The 57-year-old Frenchman, who was club captain under Ferguson, lifted four Premier League titles and two FA Cups before his sudden retirement in 1997.
Despite his sensational impact for United, Cantona was not without his controversies and was famously banned from football over his infamous ‘kung-fu kick’ incident.
The former France international launched a kick in the direction of a Crystal Palace fan in 1995 and was involved in a heated altercation with the supporter.
Cantona was banned for nine months following the incident, with the United legend recently breaking his silence over the meaning behind his famous ‘seagulls’ speech.
Speaking to BBC Sounds’ Sacked in the Morning podcast, Sharpe recalled how a furious Ferguson entered the dressing room after the 1-1 draw against Palace.
“We’re struggling in the game at Crystal Palace,” he said.
“And then when he goes into the crowd and kung-fu kicks the guy, we’re all thinking: ‘Oh my God, the manager’s got to absolutely nail him after this game. He can’t say a word to us for playing badly. He’s just nearly killed someone.’
“So, we get in the dressing room. As the manager comes in, he smashes the door open – the jacket’s off, shirt sleeves are up.
“We’re thinking: ‘Here we go, here we go.’ We’re all nudging each other like school kids and giggling.”
Ferguson’s reaction to Cantona and four other players
Ferguson supported Cantona, who was stripped of the France captaincy, during the period of the ban and swayed the United legend from leaving Old Trafford.
United dropped crucial points in the draw against Palace and narrowly missed out on the Premier League title in the 1994-95 season to Blackburn Rovers.
Ferguson was known to have treated United’s legendary No 7 differently and that was no different after Cantona’s iconic kung-fu kick.
Sharpe was among the four players called out by Ferguson, with United legends Gary Pallister, Roy Keane and Andy Cole all put on blast as well.
However, the former United winger admitted it was “absolutely outrageous” when he heard the line that Ferguson delivered to Cantona.
“And then he starts on everyone, saying: ‘Pallister – you can’t head it, you can’t tackle,’” Sharpe continued.
“‘Keaney – you’ve not laid a glove on anybody. Sharpe – you can’t run, you can’t tackle, you can’t pass it. Andy Cole – you’ve not trapped a bag of cement all day. And Eric – you can’t go around doing things like that, son.’
“And we were like: ‘That’s one of the best lines ever in football.’ That is just absolutely outrageous. Cantona sat there, shrugged and just didn’t care. It was unbelievable.”