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Matthew Le Tissier: Manchester United shirt excuse 'worst ever' for a defeat

Southampton legend Matthew Le Tissier has told the "Quickly, Kevin" podcast that Sir Alex Ferguson blaming Manchester United's grey change strip for a 3-1 defeat in 1996 was "the worst excuse I have ever heard."

Le Tissier scored as a then-struggling Southampton side stormed into a 3-0 lead against United at their former Dell ground by half-time.

United changed into a blue and white away kit at the break -- with Ferguson later claiming the grey shirts had made it hard for his players to see each other in bright conditions -- and pulled a goal back.

Le Tissier said he did not notice the change of kit until after the match had finished and added: "I don't know if any of the other players did, but I didn't realise until after the game.

"It was only when I was walking to my car in the car park that this one guy stopped me and said: 'Well done today -- just wondering what you thought about Man United changing their kit at half-time?' I went: 'Did they?'"

"Let me tell you, if they had won that game 3-0 you wouldn't have heard a moan from anyone.

"It was the worst excuse I have ever heard for a defeat. Sir Alex Ferguson should be ashamed of himself."

Southampton meet United again in the EFL final at Wembley on Sunday.