"It is a hard one to take because I thought, really, we were the better team and the score does not reflect that," Fergie said after the match.
"But of course when you win 4-1 at Old Trafford you deserve all the plaudits and you can't deny them that.
"If the league was starting today, you would take a four-point start.
"It was a bad day in terms of the goals we lost but I couldn't argue with the quality of play that much."
"One or two players were a little bit short today in terms of what we expect of them but I do know the football was good, we kept driving on and they showed good energy, even though we only had two and a half days to prepare for the match.
"The thing to now is respond. It always is at this club. You lose a game and you respond. We always do."