Roberto denies Fergie blast

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has denied saying the FA are afraid of punishing Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Spanish newspaper AS claimed Martinez had said Sunderland boss Steve Bruce and Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce belonged to a "group of faithfuls" of Ferguson's and that Liverpool's Spanish coach Rafael Benitez had been harshly treated during his tenure in England.

He also reportedly said: "They (the FA) have just sanctioned Ferguson for saying that referee (Alan Wiley) was not fit enough and the truth is that they're almost apologising to him for punishing him. Any other coach would have been crushed for that."

However, Martinez has issued a denial of the comments via the League Managers' Association.

A statement on the LMA's official website read: "Wigan Athletic manager, Roberto Martinez, has today (Wednesday) categorically denied making the comments about Sir Alex Ferguson that have been attributed to him in a number of media reports, Martinez has referred the matter to the League Managers' Association."