During Sir Alex Ferguson’s time in charge of Manchester United, there can be no doubt the legendary manager had his favourites when it came to his players.
Ferguson was well-known for his hard and – at times – uncompromising approach with his players, with those stepping out of line feeling the wrath of the Scot in plenty of different ways.
The former United boss’ hairdryer treatment has gone down into Old Trafford folklore, and he certainly had a reputation for working his players hard in training.
It seems though not all of the players were the same in Ferguson’s eyes, with some receiving special treatment.
Former United striker Dimitar Berbatov has revealed how four players in particular used to get some preferential treatment from their former boss.
"The hierarchy in football, it's always there with the players," Berbatov told the Mirror.
"It doesn't matter when anyone tells you. When you are a star in a football team and you deserve to be one, of course, from time to time you will have special treatment from the manager.
"I remember Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville when we used to train, they trained a bit differently so they could save themselves for the games, and there is nothing wrong with that. This is normal in football.
"When you are a great football player sometimes the manager is going to give you more special attention. As long as you help the team win the game, this is normal in football.
"Sir Alex was very good at making a point to speak to everyone individually, so you didn't feel left out. Even if you didn't play he would know how to speak with you.
"So it was the same with Cristiano Ronaldo, and in the end, we saw the results."
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