Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz has apologised to Martin Taylor for suggesting the Birmingham defender was a dirty and inferior player.

Queiroz mentioned Taylor, who broke Eduardo's leg in a tackle last week, during a furious rant against referee Martin Atkinson and Portsmouth's Lassana Diarra following Saturday's 1-0 FA Cup defeat.

The Portuguese coach has now apologised to Taylor — but not to the referee or to Diarra.

"I am deeply sorry if my comments, made when emotions were running high after the Portsmouth game, were misconstrued," Queiroz said. "Everyone at Manchester United knows that Martin Taylor is not that type of player.

"All I sought to say was that in the modern game, because of its speed, we need to have more vigilance on mis-timed tackles. I apologise for any upset my remarks may have caused."

Queiroz had accused Diarra of elbowing Cristiano Ronaldo, and the referee allowing him to use over-physical tactics against the winger for the rest of the game.

"That's why the Taylors of this game can survive and some of the best players are out of the game. It cannot happen any more," Queiroz said on Saturday.

The Football Association are looking at the post-match comments of both Queiroz and manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and disciplinary charges could follow.