MATCH OPINIONS

“I felt we just shaded the first half and expected them to
come out as they did in the second half. But without blaming
anybody, costly mistakes let them get back into the game.
Manchester United have that quality, experience, maturity
and know-how to chase the play and control it - and they did
that.

“But this is miles better than last year - we lost 6-2 to
them then. I think we've made strides against Manchester
United - but we're still that little bit behind them.

"The gap's still there. How big that gap is, I don't know,
but there's a gap between them and us, and I think they just
proved that, just proved it."

Sir Alex Ferguson:

"I think we produced a great performance and when you go in
down at half-time you say (to the players), 'first of all
make sure you take something from the game’.

"The second is ‘Once you get there (with the equaliser) it
is a matter of being patient.’ We weren't concerned at half-
time but when you are 1-0 down at Newcastle you can never be
sure because they are a formidable side and you have got
your work cut out - but we got there.

"When we scored the equaliser I think they maybe got a bit
nervous and there was a swing in momentum."