Man Utd icon Sir Alex Ferguson takes cheeky dig at Liverpool during pep talk to Sale Sharks as squad bursts out laughing

SIR ALEX FERGUSON poked fun at Liverpool while giving a motivational talk to Sale Sharks.

The former Manchester United manager spoke to the squad ahead of the Premiership Rugby final against Saracens on Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson spoke to Sale Sharks ahead of the Premiership Rugby final

Liverpool players infamously wore white suits ahead of the 1996 FA Cup finalRex Features

He warned the players about losing and told them they are not going to Twickenham to enjoy the match, as only winning matters.

And Fergie could not resist an opportunity to aim a cheeky dig at Liverpool, telling Sale stars not to wear white suits before the game.

The Reds infamously did exactly that ahead of the 1996 FA Cup final and ended up losing to Ferguson’s United.

Ferguson said: “To lose…you don’t want to lose.

“I wish you all the best on Saturday. The thing is, I’m telling you, don’t wear a white suit for Christ’s sake!

“Concentration. You’re not there to enjoy it, you’re there to win.”

After addressing the team as a whole, Fergie gave a series of one-on-one pep talks to Sale’s players, including with England centre Manu Tuilagi.

Since retiring in 2013, Sir Alex has regularly given speeches and lectures on the concept of leadership.

Sir Alex’s connection with Sale goes back six years to October 2017, when he attended their Challenge Cup clash against Toulouse.

While he admitted that was his first experience of watching a rugby game, he has maintained an ongoing relationship with the sport since then.

Eddie Jones credited Sir Alex’s team talks for providing England with the inspiration to reach the Rugby World Cup final in 2019.

He also gave a speech to Europe’s Ryder Cup team ahead of their victory over the USA in 2014.