MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson unleashed a verbal tirade against Newcastle and its coach Alan Pardew yesterday while defending himself against growing condemnation of his angry on-field outburst at a Premier League referee.

Pardew said he was surprised to see Ferguson escape punishment for approaching referee Mike Dean, a linesman and the fourth official during Wednesday’s 4-3 win over Newcastle at Old Trafford, after the visitors had been awarded a dubious goal.

Ferguson claims he was “demonstrative but … not out of order” and accused Pardew of hypocrisy, with the Newcastle manager having served a two-match touchline ban this season for pushing an assistant referee during a league match.

“Alan Pardew is the worst at haranguing referees,” Ferguson said. “His whole staff, every game. He was at it the whole game on Wednesday.

“He shoves the referee and makes a joke of it and has the cheek to criticise me. It is unbelievable.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger shares Pardew’s view, saying yesterday: “Should you behave like that? No … when you go overboard, you have to be punished.”

However, Ferguson said the criticism he has received has been “overplayed” and added another dig at Newcastle.

“The press have had a field day out of it. They have addressed every possible avenue. The only one they have left out is Barack Obama. He is too busy,” Ferguson said.

“That is unfortunate. I carry that because I am the manager of the most famous club in the world. I am not like Newcastle, a wee club in the north east.”

Some believe Ferguson benefits from favourable treatment, yet the United manager did serve a five-match touchline ban following criticism of referee Martin Atkinson after a league match against Chelsea last season. He also was handed a suspended two-match ban that season for accusing another referee — Alan Wiley — of being physically unfit to referee a Premier League game.

In this latest incident, Ferguson was furious that Dean overruled a linesman’s decision not to award a goal to Newcastle when United defender Jonny Evans turned the ball into his own net as he attempted to clear a shot. Newcastle striker Papiss Demba Cisse was standing in an offside position when the shot was struck and was close to Evans when the ball was deflected in, but wasn’t seen to be interfering with play according to Dean.

Dean decided not to mention his confrontation with Ferguson in his referee’s match report.

“I think Mike Dean might feel slightly disappointed he didn’t do something about it,” Pardew said.

However, Ferguson said: “It has been overplayed. I was not on the pitch for more than three or four yards and then we came off together. There was no ranting or raving from me. I was demonstrative. I am always demonstrative. Everyone knows that. I am an emotional guy. That doesn’t mean to say I was abusive.”

Wenger’s relationship with Ferguson has improved over recent seasons but he had little sympathy for his old adversary.

“Whether it’s me or Fergie or anyone else in the world, the rules are the rules,” Wenger said. “It is not rules for one person and rules for another. It’s the same for everybody.

“We love the Premier League. It is watched all over the world so we want it to be respected by fans for its behaviour.”