Ryan Giggs says four Manchester United were never on the receiving end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s infamous hairdryer treatment.

The fiery Scot was known to let rip at his players on certain occasions during his 27-year reign in charge at Old Trafford.

Giggs was there to see it all, the pair winning 13 Premier League titles together.

However, the Welsh winger wasn’t immune to one of Ferguson’s stinging rebukes.

Instead, Ferguson wouldn’t shout at four other players he knew were matchwinners.

“There were three or four players that he never had a go at. Cantona was one – Bryan Robson, Roy Keane and Cristiano Ronaldo. They were all in their own ways match winners,” Giggs told beIN Sports.

“They did the stuff on the pitch, so he never felt (like he had to). Eric, there were some games where Eric didn't do anything. He didn't score, he wasn't running about like a Tevez or a Wayne Rooney, he didn't have any impact. 

Cristiano Ronaldo (L) of Manchester Unit
Eric Cantona Manchester United FA Charity Shield 1996

“But he knew sooner or later he would come good. We would be sat in the dressing room thinking he's got to have a go at him, he's got to have a pop at him because he didn't do anything today. 

“But the next week he'd score the winner or he would produce a moment of magic so he handled the big names really well as long as they were doing it on the pitch, he handled them in a different way.”

It’s expert man-management. Wayne Rooney once revealed that Ferguson would shout at him even when he’d play well because he knew it would spark a reaction from the former United forward.

Ferguson understood what made each of his players tick. The result? An incredible number of trophies.