Manchester derby sign-language dispute

• ESPN SoccerNet, Thursday, January 21, 2010 12 PM

Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez defended his goal celebrations -- cupping his ears -- after scoring twice to beat his former team, Manchester United, 2-1 in the Carling Cup, and said the response of Man U's Gary Neville -- flipping the middle finger -- was disrespectful.

Tevez said his own gestures -- toward the United bench and club directors -- were intended to make a point to the people who thought he was "not worth the money" required to keep him at United last summer.

"Football is a form of theater and it was just a form of banter," said the Argentine. "There was nothing malicious intended. I was not trying to incite anyone but I was entitled to say to Neville that he should have been more respectful. ...

"Gary was very disrespectful, which is out of character, but he didn't know the whole story of why I left Manchester United and I believe I deserved his respect."

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