Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson were tonight locked in another angry war of words over Arsenal's punishment for their role in the ugly melee at Old Trafford, with the Arsenal boss rejecting comments from Old Trafford earlier this afternoon.
Ferguson had voiced the suspicion that Arsenal had concluded a secret deal with the Football Association to water down their sentence, even though the club and five players face fines totalling £275,000 and suspensions equating to nine games.
Wenger wearily responded to Ferguson's latest public taunt by insisting that "I don't think it could have been a lot worse for us" and retorting that he would never interfere in internal matters at Old Trafford.
That was at least true in the case of Rio Ferdinand, with Wenger refusing to make capital out of United's embarrassment, but uneasy relations between the rival camps have still deteriorated over this latest controversy.
The FA, who have yet to hear charges against Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs, yesterday announced they would be fining Arsenal #175,000 for failing to control their players.
Lauren was banned for four games, Martin Keown faces a three-match suspension, while Patrick Vieira and Ray Parlour must miss one game each. All of them, along with Ashley Cole, must also pay five-figure fines.
Ferguson insisted that Arsenal should be "delighted" with that outcome and even questioned why goalkeeper Jens Lehmann had escaped with a warning for pushing the match officials.
Indeed, when it was put to Wenger that Ferguson had labelled the suspicion of plea-bargaining as "disgraceful" and "unbelievable", the Arsenal boss responded tersely.
"There was no deal and to say so is a serious charge. If this guy comes out and can prove that we have struck a deal, then we can still talk together," declared Wenger.
"For some people, even hanging would not be enough as they think that you should hang us twice in Hyde Park in front of the whole country."
Wenger then attempted to seize the moral high ground as he added: "What happens at Manchester United is not my problem, I don't speak about other people. We concentrate on our club and our behaviour and that's it."
When Ferguson was asked whether Arsenal's punishment had been fair, he had nevertheless replied: "I wouldn't agree with that, I think Arsenal will be delighted with the decision, that's without question.
"I read that they did a deal before they went in there and I think that was the suspicion right throughout the country that a deal was being done. It's disappointing to read that kind of thing."