Boss praises Reds

Sir Alex:

"You look around that field and there's not one bad performer. Everyone played his part... What we do need, of course, is a win and we've got a home game against Tottenham next week."



19/08/2007 15:40, Report by Nick Coppack


sir Alex cut a bemused figure after Sunday's 1-0 loss to Manchester City and said it's now imperative United beat Spurs at Old Trafford next weekend.

Like many Reds fans, the boss couldn't understand how United lost a game in which their opponents had been so poor.

"I don't know how many corner kicks we had or how much possession we had, but I do know we had clear-cut chances throughout the match, even in the first 10 minutes," Ferguson said.

"We really should have sewn the game up even before they'd crossed the halfway line. We've only got ourselves to blame – let's make no mistake about that."

At Eastlands, like at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season and at Fratton Park four days ago, United failed to convert chances. The Reds are now without a win from the first three league games, a string of results that represents United's worst start in the Premier League since 1991/92.

The manner in which the team are playing, however, continues to impress Sir Alex.

"You look around that field and there's not one bad performer. Everyone played his part. At this moment in time we'll use our experience to make sure we don't get carried away and have a knee-jerk reaction to it. What we do need, of course, is a win and we've got a home game against Tottenham next week."

United went into the derby without Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, but the manager was adamant their absence had nothing to do with Sunday's result.

"On the evidence of today it's quite obvious [we didn't miss them]. I thought we were absolutely outstanding and completely dominated the game. But you have to say, with all these chances, we have to take one or two at least.

"We've given ourselves an uphill fight; I don't think there's any question of that. Over the past few years we've always been able to overcome these things and we'll have to do that again."