Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has called for an end to the vile chants between United and Liverpool fans.

A minority of fans on both sides have been heard chanting abuse regarding tragedies that each club has suffered. However, a panel investigating the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 innocent Liverpool fans lost their lives cleared the fans of any blame earlier this week.

The two sides face each other next Sunday in what will be Liverpool's first home game since the truth was revealed, and Ferguson believes that this is as good a time as any to end the chants.

"You would hope that maybe this is a line in the sand in terms of how the supporters behave with one another," he said.

"We are two great clubs and we should understand each other's problems in the past. Certainly the reputation of both clubs doesn't deserve it. The fact we are playing them after the findings we have been reading about in the last couple of days does bring a focus to it.

"Both clubs have suffered fatalities through football. You hope that fans do behave themselves and support their team and that will be the end of it."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has also pleaded for the sick chants to stop.