Alex Ferguson thinks Robin van Persie couldve been killed by ball to back of the head

Swansea held Man United to a 1-1 draw, but the Premier League leaders seemed far more upset about the back of Robin van Persie's head than the result.

After being hauled down just outside the box, Van Persie was on the ground and looking to the ref as he appealed for a free kick. Swansea defender Ashley Williams, meanwhile, tried to clear the ball from right behind Van Persie and ended up blasting him in the back of the head from point-blank range. Van Persie stumbled to his feet and grabbed hold of Williams before grabbing at the referee in his appeal for justice. As a result, both players were booked.

After the match, Sir Alex Ferguson got a bit melodramatic. From Sporting Life:

"The Van Persie situation you can clearly see that he could have been killed," Ferguson said on Sky Sports News.

"The FA has got to look into it regardless that he has been given a yellow card. He should be banned for a long time because that was the most dangerous thing I've seen on a football field for many years.

"It was absolutely deliberate. The whistle has gone, the game has stopped and he has done that right in front of the referee, he could have killed the lad.

"It was a disgraceful act by the player, he should banned for a long time."

The last most dangerous thing he's seen on a football field? Maybe it was Roy Keane on Alf-Inge Haaland ("I don't think Roy has anything to worry about," Ferguson said) or Eric Cantona's kung fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan.

Williams claimed (with a smile) that he was just "trying to clear the ball," but Ferguson obviously isn't buying that. Given ! Van Pers ie's injury history, Ferguson seems to think he's quite fragile if he's afraid a ball to the back of the head will kill him. Maybe it's time he starts making Van Persie wear a Petr Cech helmet or three and ban him from heading the ball.

Video via 101gg