Cross me and you are dead!

FIERCE ... boss Sir Alex Ferguson

ALEX FERGUSON has warned his Manchester United stars: Cross me and you're dead.

The ruthless Old Trafford boss has earned a reputation for knowing exactly the right moment to kill off the United careers of his star names.

David Beckham, Roy Keane, Jaap Stam and Ruud van Nistelrooy were all booted out by Fergie.

He said: "If I lose control of these multi-millionaires in the Manchester United dressing room then I'm dead. So I never lose control. If anyone steps out of my control, that's them dead."

Fergie has ruled with a rod of iron at Old Trafford for 23 years.

He said: "Through my development, I've come across two issues - power and control.

"Control is important, very, very important. My control is the most important thing."

Fergie's words were delivered with a smile at a lecture in Dublin - but will send a shiver down the spines of some of his current United squad.

One of them - Nani - is already getting some of the famous Ferguson treatment.

In November the £17million Portuguese winger whinged about his lack of chances in big games and revealed he had also copped 'the hairdryer', a red-hot Fergie rollocking.

Since then, Nani has featured just twice in the first team.

Dutch defender Stam was flogged to Lazio in 2001 after his controversial autobiography criticised his team-mates and suggested United made an illegal approach for him.

Two years later, Beckham was sent packing to Real Madrid after a hugely-publicised spat with the Scot.

Even Roy Keane quit in December 2005 to join Celtic for the last six months of his playing career, after going public with his criticism of the team - a move that left Fergie fuming.

The following year Dutch hitman Van Nistelrooy fell foul of his boss.

Van Nistelrooy was angry at being a sub for the League Cup final against Wigan in 2006. A few months later he was sold to Real Madrid.

The popular forward admitted later things had "exploded"' between the pair - and their feud had become "very personal".

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