Sir Alex Ferguson has accused George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks, the Liverpool co-owners, of showing a lack of “class” and has condemned their treatment of Rafael BenÍtez.

The Americans will secure their immediate future at Anfield in the next 24 hours by announcing a controversial £350 million refinancing package and revealing their plans for a 70,000-capacity stadium in Stanley Park. But while that is expected to bring stability to their troubled regime, Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, has criticised them for undermining BenÍtez after admitting publicly that they held talks with Jürgen Klinsmann about the Liverpool manager’s job and said that sacking the Spaniard could have a damaging effect on the club.

Ferguson’s criticism came on the day it emerged that BenÍtez has been in contact with the League Managers Association (LMA), which said that it provided “advice, support and encouragement” to the Spaniard.

Speaking in Saudi Arabia, where United have been on a short winter break, Ferguson said: “At big clubs, it’s absolutely paramount that the board show their class. Arsène Wenger has had great support at Arsenal and I’ve had great support, too, ever since I came here. So there’s a certain type of unity there.

“What happened with [Klinsmann] was a bad piece of business on Liverpool’s part, there’s no doubt about that. That sort of thing can be very upsetting for a manager. You should allow a manager to get on with his job.

“One thing for sure is that Rafa has brought in a lot of his players because of Spanish connections. Now if an English manager was to come into Liverpool, that connection is gone. What happens then? That’s definitely an issue.”

Although the refinancing deal will ease some of the pressure that has been building on Hicks and Gillett, Dubai International Capital (DIC), the private-equity arm of the Arab state, remains hopeful that the Americans will be forced to sell the club in the longer term. In a phone poll conducted by the Liverpool Echo yesterday, 92 per cent of the club’s supporters contacted wanted Hicks and Gillett to hand over ownership to DIC.

Although United are also under American ownership, the Glazer family’s takeover – despite fierce opposition from some fans – has run relatively smoothly, with Ferguson insisting that he is allowed to manage without interference. But with the turmoil that has engulfed Liverpool, the United manager believes that the Merseyside club may now find that they struggle to attract leading players.

“The important thing is that big clubs should be seen to be big clubs,” Ferguson said. “Most players want to play for Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool, but when they see a club that they think is topsy-turvy, with a divide between the directors and the manager, then they might think twice [about wanting to join them].”

With Liverpool 14 points adrift of United and Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League, Ferguson appeared to echo the sentiments of many Anfield fans when he argued that their title hopes were all but over. “I think Liverpool will be concentrating on trying to win the European Cup rather than the league,” he said.

Richard Bevan, the LMA chief executive, admitted that his organisation had been in contact with the Liverpool manager. “We have provided advice, support and encouragement,” he said. “But obviously we are unable to say any more.” Legal experts have suggested that BenÍtez may have been undermined by the actions of the club’s owners and the LMA offers advice of this nature to its members.