WE LOVE THE CUP

Last updated : 07 April 2004 By Editor

Fergie:

"It's a great thrill to be in a final. We've not been in one for five years and I think we've served our penance for not going in one year. There have been one or two years when we've been disappointingly knocked out but that's cup football.

"I think we've turned a corner. We've had a bad spell and now we want to go and improve our league position. We're maybe a little short on numbers but we've got a little break and we're going to use it to get everyone freshened up for the league now.

“It makes a diference when Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre are back in. Wes Brown is getting better and better and John O'Shea is starting to reach the form that he had last season.”

But Fergie gets carried away:

“I've never been more pleased with the standard of players we have at the club. The bar has been raised and improved, which is fantastic. And, comparing the Class of '92 to the current crop of youngsters, this year's squad is probably a bit better in terms of natural ability. They are very good indeed.”

Ole:

“You can't just pick confidence out of a refrigerator. Beating Arsenal on Saturday means we still have a chance of winning a trophy but it has also restored our self-belief. We are too far behind in the league to do anything about it now but we have our pride and we can do much better than we have been.

“All I want to do is contribute to the team, whether it's for 15 minutes or 90. It was hard up front on my own at times on Saturday but against a side like Arsenal you expect that. You just try to do your job, make runs and either hope the ball comes to you or a defender follows you which makes space for others to run into.

“Anyone who thinks we don't care about the FA Cup should have been with us after the game on Saturday. It is a special competition and has been to me ever since I was a kid in Norway.

“At that time, it was always the last game of the season and we always used to watch it. It's five years since we had a chance to play in the final and every single one of us will be determined to make the team.”