Bolton Wanderers captain Kevin Davies admits he was put off his game by Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this season.
Ferguson spoke with the specific intention of putting pressure on the referee and match officials.
"When Fergie said what he did about me, it was difficult to go to Old Trafford and play," said Davies. "I didn't make one tackle in that game because I knew if I did mistimed one, it would be a yellow card. But that's what Fergie's good at, isn't he? Before the game in the tunnel at Old Trafford I said to the ref: 'I hope you haven't been reading the papers', and he laughed. But it did have an effect.
"Fergie stirs it up every time we play United but I take it as a back-handed compliment. I know I'm an honest player and that I'd never intentionally go out and deliberately hurt an opponent. I like to play hard but fair.
But it's getting harder to play that way, because with the slightest tackle these days you're going to pick up a yellow card."