DAY FERGIE GOT A PIZZA THE ACTION

SIR ALEX FERGUSON was at the centre of a few mysteries in his Old Trafford career – but none were crazier than the day he got showered in pizza. The Battle of the Buffet on October 24, 2004, was the defining incident in a bitter rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United. Arsenal arrived expecting to rack up 50 games unbeaten – with some stars even wearing 50 not out T-shirts under their tops. United striker Wayne Rooney (below) said: “All week Arsenal banged about how great it would be to make it 50 games unbeaten at Old Trafford. Big mistake. They fired us up. Fifty games unbeaten? No way. Not at our place.” That set the stage for fireworks on and off the pitch (above). The match had the usual nasty undercurrent, with United triumphing 2-0 through Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rooney. But the fun really began as the players left the pitch. They swarmed in the tunnel pushing, shoving, swearing and shouting. And all hell broke loose as a slice of pizza was thrown from the Arsenal dressing room into the corridor. Ashley Cole, then at Arsenal, recalled: “It went flying over my head and hit Fergie in the mush. All eyes turned to see this pizza slip off that puce face and down his suit.” Sir Alex later wrote in his biography: “They say it was Cesc Fabregas, but I’ve still no idea who the culprit was.”