Sir Alex Ferguson, sanguine in defeat to Manchester City last night, says Manchester United will win the return leg in a week’s time, with an Old Trafford crowd behind the team. Ferguson’s men were beaten by two goals from former Red Carlos Tevez, who pointedly ran towards the United bench following the Argentinian’s headed winner at Eastlands.
“It is just the way these things happen. Football can be like that. It can bite you,” Ferguson said.
“We have had a few players leave the club and score against us. There is no issue. I am happy with the players we have got.
“We played well and dominated the match. We were reasonably in control, but we had a mad five minutes before half-time that brought them back into the game.”
Ferguson, unhappy with referee Mike Dean’s award of a penalty for a foul clearly outside the area, refused to publicly criticise the Merseyside-born official despite the shocking award. Dean also awarded a disputable corner from which City scored a second.
The Scot, banned for two matches after he labeled another referee “unfit”, has seen key decisions go against his men in games against Liverpool, Chelsea and City this season.
“Everyone can see the penalty for themselves. It is the kind of decision that has gone against us, but could go for us on another day,” the United manager added.
“But with the crowd at Old Trafford and the occasion and what is at stake we will be okay.”
Meanwhile, veteran Ryan Giggs, who scored United’s opener on the quarter hour, said that Dean’s decision changed the game in City’s favour, with United on top before the Bitters’ equaliser.
“It was the perfect start,” Giggs told MUTV.
“You always want to go 1-0 up in a cup tie away from home. After that we probably weren’t as crisp with our passing and kept playing the ball backwards.
“We let City back into it, really. We felt we were a little unlucky to go into the break at 1-1 but we also knew we could play better.
“(The penalty decision) was a turning point. If we’d have gone in 1-0 up it might have been a different story. Sometimes you get decisions and sometimes you don’t – you just have to get on with it.”
Giggs, who played in his 31st Manchester derby, bemoan United’s failure to convert chances when Ferguson’s team was on top in the opening period. United lost the opening leg of last year’s Carling Cup semi-final before sweeping away Derby County at Old Trafford.
“We created plenty of chances but we didn’t have that stroke of luck or composure in front of goal. Hopefully we’ll have that in the second leg – hopefully we can put the chances away this time.
“After they scored (the second) we played well and probably deserved to get that equaliser. Last season we comprehensively beat Derby County in the second leg of the semi so hopefully we can do that again.
“It’s going to be tough – City are a good team, but there were enough signs, especially in the last half-hour to suggest we’re good enough to beat them.”
The second leg, which takes place at Old Trafford on Wednesday 27 January, could go ahead without Gary Neville who faces the prospect of an FA charge after appearing to make an obscene gesture in the direction of Tevez. The Argentinian twice ran towards the United bench after scoring the disputed penalty and a headed second.
The game was weighted against us from the start. We were away, City are the richest team in the premiership, whilst we are the poorest, £700m in the hole. SAF lost his nerve and played an ageing squad (av age 27), not the kids that have done so well for us. City played their speedy young reserves.
I don’t blame Neville for his gesture, it’s all part of the theatre of the cup. And after his comments about Tevez not being good enough to play for us, he must have really been hurting. I’m just pleased that Neville didn’t play. Bellend ran riot against Rafael, imagine what he would have done against Neville now that his legs have gone.
I’m still hopeful for us in the second leg at OT, but it won’t be the end of the world if Sh*ty go through. They will have their best players back from injury by then. I’ll be glad to get that 34 years banner down, it’s an embarrassment to us true utd fans, it makes us look obsessed with Citeh. We have bigger fish to fry.
It hurt, but we have no excuse for ripping out the council house seats and throwing them like the Arse fans did when Adbyour ran riot against them. We made a mistake letting Tevez go. Rooney was great last night, but Tevez showed he is a cut above. We just need to swallow our pride and move on – this sort of thing will happen more and more to us. Citeh fans are happy campers, but we’ve had a bad vibe all season, which we need to shake off quick.
“Rooney was great last night, but Tevez showed he is a cut above.”
seriously dude, you know fuck all about football.
i wouldnt say tevez is a cut above rooney, but i wouldnt say that rooney is a cut above tevez either, both have talent on the ball, carry a goal threat, show good movement off the ball and work tirelessly for their respected teams, i think if we had a creative attacking midfielder in the middle of the park then the two if them could have scored a lot more goals between them. what we are missing is someone like the scholes of old, it pisses me off that every time we play away from home we switch to a 4-5-1 with three central midfielders of which none seems to want to get forward and support rooney, he always looks isolated. back in the days of yorke, cole, beckham and with giggs flying down the left and scholes arriving in the box we would always go away from home and take it to the opposition. i know we’ve won the title for the past three years but how many times have you watched united and been dissappionted about the style of our football? we are becoming an increasingly defensive minded football team, especially away from home. this is something that the smaller clubs like to do away from home, not the mighty mancs,i think we need to get a bit more attacking polish to our play. an injury to rooney now would be a disaster for this team.
I say we throw in Diouf. Set the cat amonsgt the pigeons so to speak. he is an unknown quantity and should give us enough pace up front (something Berba doesn’t bring) which will hopefully free up the midfielders so we are more offensive than defensive down the middle.
I agree Tevez looks good for City but $25 mil + a salary on par with Rooney? Joorbachian was having a right old laff. If tevez’s form is based on his pursuit of money and not the shirt, then he is better off with the mercenaries at City.
Nev’s reaction is completely understandable. I’m surprised he even stopped at that.
tevez worth 25million. what he was saying is correct. but scolding between player is worst act so everyone must be punished.