Source: Telegraph
Mark Hughes: Manchester United missing Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez
Whether Ferguson's steady stream of put-downs in relation to City have been aimed directly at his former centre-forward is open to speculation but, as manager, Hughes is damned by association if nothing else.
Yet as derby day approaches in Manchester, rather than bristle with indignation at Ferguson's attacks, Hughes admits that he is beginning to see the funny side of his former manager's preoccupation with events at Eastlands.
Hughes said: "I'm sure Sir Alex is sick and tired of people sticking a microphone under his nose and asking him about Manchester City rather than Manchester United.
"That hasn't happened in recent years and I can understand why he gets a little bit irritated about it, which is quite amusing from my point of view.
"The (Carlos Tévez) poster does seem to have really upset Sir Alex for some reason. We just take it as a bit of flattery, though, because, for a number of years, City haven't affected United's thinking to ant great extent. Possibly that's changed now.
"We can't influence other people's views of us because, I would suggest, they'll have a reason behind their thinking that we can't change.
"But we're here and we're not going away any time soon. We're here to make a challenge.
"All we're trying to do is make this club better and stronger. If that irritates people and upsets them, we can't do anything about anyone's personal reaction to that."
City go into Sunday's 152nd Manchester derby weakened by the suspension of Emmanuel Adebayor and injuries to forwards Robinho, Roque Santa Cruz and Carlos Tévez, whose knee injury is likely to restrict the former United forward to a place on the bench.
But despite City's loss of key players, Hughes insists that United's problems run deeper thanks to the summer departures of Tévez and Cristiano Ronaldo.
He said: "United have lost two significant players from last season. Any team would be affected by that.
"You can't afford to lose players of that standard and not replace them and I don't think they have replaced them.
"I've watched a number of their games and I don't think they're playing as well as they did last season.
"They played well at Spurs last weekend. That was their standout performance but, prior to that, I think they've been below par."
Hughes, who admitted City will contest Adebayor's charge of improper conduct in relation to his goal celebration against Arsenal last Saturday, insists the Togolese has been harshly treated having earned a three-match ban for stamping on Robin van Persie in the same game.
Hughes said: "I spoke to Ade and I asked the question 'did he mean to do it?' He looked me in the eyes and said 'no'.
"As far as I'm concerned that's how it stands. There was no intent, it wasn't malicious, it was an accident. But to try to argue that without a personal hearing is very difficult."
