Ahead of a crucial weekend in the English Premiership, Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, the Professional Footballer's Association Player of the Year, Thursday spoke out publicly against his compatriot Jose Mourinho, telling Portuguese television the Chelsea manager "doesn't know how to admit his own failures." The 22-year-old Ronaldo's comments came after Mourinho complained on Sunday that the "new laws" on penalty kicks applied to Manchester United but not Chelsea. Mourinho was suggesting that Man United was fortunate not to concede a late penalty at home to Middlesbrough. Ronaldo responded with the quip, "We all know how he is, he always has to say something when he is not happy."

Never one to back down from a verbal challenge, Mourinho responded by calling Ronaldo a liar. "A player who wants to be the best one of the world, and he already may be, should have the uprightness and the sufficient maturity to verify that against facts there are not arguments. If he says that it is a lie that Manchester United have conceded some penalties this season which have not been awarded against them, he is lying. And if he lies, he will never reach the level that he wants to reach." Carlos Queiroz, Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant coach and another Portuguese, was also quoted as saying, "Mourinho has his own style, he always tries to divert everyone's attention to the points which are convenient for him. These are his tactics and that's the way he is."

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