LET THE FANS IN

Last updated : 10 November 2002 By Editor

Fergie: "At times like this I wonder if I should open the dressing room door and let the fans tell the players exactly how I feel.

"Quite simply, they have underachieved. They have received a rollicking and quite rightly so.

"In big games like this concentration is the key and ours was poor at times.

"It was a real kick in the teeth. We work hard to prepare them for games like today and they have let us down.

"We will address the situation on the training ground but I am not happy and my staff are not happy. We will get a reaction from this.

"We dominated periods in the first half but we had to take our chances then. If we had done we would have gone on to win the game. But concentration was poor and in key games you can't accept that. They have under-achieved, quite simply.

"To go out and then give away that third goal just after half-time was ridiculous. When you're 3-1 down away from home it's going to be difficult. We had our chances to draw 3-3 but that would have masked our lack of concentration.

"We have lost three games now before Christmas and there's no hiding from that fact."

 

And KKK, never one for over-statement, says: "I enjoyed this derby more than any I've played in or been manager. It took me back to when I was playing in the Seventies and we had huge crowds who made a tremendous noise. It was like that today and it made a big difference to us. In the week, it was said that because there weren't many Manchester-based players involved the team wouldn't be up for it, but I don't know about that."

"I wrote on the board before the match 'show determination and show commitment and the crowd will be the 12th man' and they responded.

"I have been involved in some great derby matches over the years, but I will remember this one forever."

"But even against the likes of Valencia and Real Madrid, United won't have a tougher time than that."