Fergie slams Man City for 'not so surprising' Mancini sacking

Retiring Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has criticised arch rivals Manchester City for sacking Roberto Mancini from the post of manager, although he admitted the news had not come as a complete surprise to him.

Stating that the decision to dismiss Mancini was wrong, the Scot, who takes charge of his 1,500th and final game as Reds boss at West Bromich Albion on Sunday, said that it is disappointing that Mancini is not good enough for City even though he had won the 2011 FA Cup and the 2012 Premier League, the Mirror reports.

However, Ferguson said that he is not completely surprised at the decision, saying that it is difficult to predict who will be staying and who will be leaving, with the different types of owners available today.

According to Ferguson, the upheaval at City will have no effect on his successor and outgoing Everton boss David Moyes as he will be having the advantage of the club's structure, adding that the experienced Moyes had probably handled things at Everton that have been more difficult.

Meanwhiles, Ferguson warned the Old Trafford giants' owners, the Glazers, that the team must always remain the club's top priority in view of their exploitation of the club's commercial pull all over the world in the form of lucrative sponsorship deals.

United have 33 global sponsors now and recently sold the advertising rights to their training ground and training kit, as the club seeks to maximise its unique global appeal, the report added.