Roberto Martínez has phoned Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, to apologise after quotes were attributed to him in the Spanish media at the weekend.

An article in AS, the Spanish newspaper, on Sunday quoted the Wigan Athletic manager as suggesting that Ferguson, Steve Bruce, the Sunderland manager, and Sam Allardyce, his Blackburn Rovers counterpart, have joined forces to bully Rafael Benítez.

After seeing his words in the media, Martínez immediately contacted the League Managers Association (LMA) to offer a retraction and ask it to launch an investigation. The LMA is looking into the article, which was reproduced in several English newspapers.

“I spoke to Sir Alex and Steve Bruce and Sam Allardyce but also Rafa Benítez as well because I felt it was just as disrespectful to him,” Martínez said. “I don’t think he needs anyone to defend him.

“I don’t like this story so the first thing is that [the other managers] need to know that.”

Martínez decided to take the situation to the LMA after deciding that he was too inexperienced to deal with it.

United have submitted a claim of mistaken identity to the FA after Fábio Da Silva was booked by Chris Foy against Barnsley in the Carling Cup. The offender — for a challenge on Jamal Campbell-Ryce — was Rafael, his twin brother.

The FA confirmed that it has been approached by United and that the submission will be heard on Tuesday by a regulatory commission. The Brazilian twins helped United to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the competition thanks to a 2-0 victory.