Man City 2-1 Man Utd (UK users only)
Carlos Tevez has branded Gary Neville
a "boot-licker" and a "moron" in explaining his goal celebration in
Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final.
Former Manchester United
striker Tevez gestured and cupped his ears towards their bench after
scoring twice in a Manchester City's feisty 2-1 derby win. "My celebration was directed at Gary Neville," Tevez told ESPN Argentina.
"He acted like a complete boot-licker when he said I wasn't worth £25m, just to suck up to the manager," he added.
Before the first-leg tie, Neville had said United were right to let Tevez leave in the summer, rather than signing him on a permanent deal after his two-year loan spell ended.
And during United's defeat cameras appeared to catch Neville making an obscene gesture when Tevez scored.
"I don't know what the hell that moron [tarado] is talking about me for," said Tevez. "I never said anything about him.
"I didn't go overboard in my celebration and it was directed at Gary, not at Ferguson and not at the fans.
"I think he did the wrong thing because I was his team-mate and I never said anything bad about him."
While Tevez vented his fury at Neville, the Football Association was promising to speak to both Manchester clubs before next week's second leg in an attempt to defuse possible tensions.
The fierce rivalry between the teams has taken on a new dimension as City's owners spend large sums to help the club join the elite and Tevez's feud with Neville will add a new sub-plot to the second leg, at Old Trafford on Wednesday 27 January.
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His radio interview was far stronger than the comments Thursday's newspapers carried from the Argentine via his representatives.
"I thought Gary Neville had been disrespectful by talking about me like that," Tevez said.
"He cannot possibly know the full story of what happened at Old Trafford. I was honourable at all times and I think it was wrong of him to talk about another footballer in that way.
"For me, to celebrate in front of him was not malicious. It was just banter. That is what the game is all about. I didn't see if he did anything back."
Neville looks likely to escape punishment for the Tevez incident, as it would be difficult for the FA to prove his gesture was particularly aimed at the Argentina international, but he has been warned over his behaviour before.
Last September, the England defender, 34, was cautioned about his future conduct following United's dramatic 4-3 win over City when he ran towards City fans to celebrate Michael Owen's injury-time winner at Old Trafford.
And in 2006 he was fined £5,000 and again warned over his future conduct after celebrating in front of Liverpool's fans after United secured a late winner over their other main rivals.
In the radio interview, Tevez also revealed he finds living in England challenging.
"The truth is that it's very, very hard for me to live here, so far away from my loved ones," said Tevez.
"I'm not exactly an example of how to learn English; I just can't get it into my head. I'm learning hardly anything, truth be told. I don't go out much, I spend most of my time at home."