Sir Alex Ferguson is not interested in getting involved in the spat between Carlos Tevez and Gary Neville.

The former Manchester United team-mates clashed at Eastlands on Tuesday as Tevez celebrated his equalising goal in City's 2-1 Carling Cup win. Tevez initially made a "shut it" gesture in response to pre-match comments from Neville that the Argentina star was not worth the money it would have cost United to keep him at Old Trafford last summer.

Neville responded with a one-fingered gesture of his own, which prompted further reaction from Tevez, who followed up by winning the game with a second-half header and then aimed fierce criticism at the Red Devils skipper.

In a wide-ranging attack, Tevez labelled Neville "a moron" and "a boot-licker", which has only served to add further fuel to the fire ahead of next Wednesday's semi-final second leg at Old Trafford.

Although he has never been scared of courting controversy, United manager Ferguson has this time opted to give the whole row a wide berth.

"I am not interested," he said. "Carlos Tevez is not our player anymore and I have nothing to say about it at all."