A Cole model - You won't believe this, but Grant says kids can learn from football's pariah

With the eyes of the football world focused on the Barclays Premier League tomorrow when the big four collide, there is potential for further flashpoints and the behaviour of the country's leading players will come under the spotlight.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday condemned the increasing levels of abuse aimed at match officials, insisting: 'I think the haranguing of referees is absolutely ridiculous, we know that. We see it as an issue.'

But Chelsea boss Grant has again supported Cole in the ongoing row over his bad tackle and disrespect of referee Mike Riley at Tottenham, saying: 'Personally I give great credit to Ashley.

'He has behaved like a mature guy. He saw he did something wrong and he apologised.

'No one pushed him to apologise. He took responsibility. We need to give him a lot of credit for this.

'Whenever something happens it is always millions of children watching on TV, but millions of children also want to see players who take responsibility.

'It is important not to do it but these things happen in football and it is more important to take responsibility.'

Grant rejected the idea of taking Cole out of the firing line against his former club Arsenal at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, when Manchester United also take on Liverpool in the earlier kick-off.

Cole, 27, will be in the squad and Grant will remind his players of their behaviour before what is sure to be another highly charged London derby.

Grant said: 'He is a top professional and has shown now that he also knows how to behave.

'If this was not the first time, maybe I would be worried, but it is the first time he did it and he has apologised.

'He did not say he was proud of what happened. I like my players to respect everybody.

'Many things happen in football that we cannot control but we can also control our reactions.

'The team discipline is good, not less than other teams and sometimes more. I am not concerned.'

Ferguson's comments will raise eyebrows, especially given that he is under investigation by the FA for remarks made about referee Martin Atkinson after the recent FA Cup defeat by Portsmouth.

Ferguson believes that his players do not surround referees like Cole and his team-mates did on Wednesday.

He said: 'We had a pivotal moment when our players surrounded Andy D'Urso in 2000 against Middlesbrough.

'I went off my head with them about that and it never happened again.'