'It was an unbelievable performance from Wayne,' said Ferguson. 'He really worked his socks off and took his first goal very well. I wanted him to do a job on the left and work with Ruud and Paul Scholes. All three of them have excellent brains and it turned out pretty well for us. People have to remember Wayne was out for 96 days after the European Championships and it is going to take time to get his fitness back to the point we would like. He is getting there now though and what he did today was fantastic.'
And the penalty that clearly was penalty:
'The referee was close enough to see and it looked a penalty for me,' said Ferguson before adding, 'But it doesn't redress what happened last week because last week was ridiculous as that was a clear penalty too. But Graham Poll never gives us a penalty. He didn't give us the one last week, last year at Highbury Ryan Giggs was brought down for a clear penalty. 'The year before at Chelsea - it was a clear penalty kick when Paul Scholes was brought down. We have to live with that but the breaks even themselves out over the season and maybe it's our turn to get the breaks now."
Not surprisingly Graeme Souness saw it differently, it was a bitter way to suffer a third straight home defeat in the space of a week. I am angry and frustrated,' said Souness. 'Shay Given came out and tangles with Scholes but I am not sure it was a penalty. It was a key decision and was harsh on us, as was the result.'