Sir Alex Ferguson admits: Liverpool were the better side

Sep 14 2008

Sir Alex Ferguson (158) (copy)

Disappointed United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his side failed to handle Liverpool's combative approach in the Red 2-1 victory at Anfield.

Having turned up the mind games ahead of the match by expressing surprise at how much Liverpool paid for Robbie Keane, Ferguson found himself examining his own side's weaknesses after the game.

“You don’t expect that from Manchester United,” he told Sky Sports.

“When we have a bad day we usually still get something from the game

“Overall, they were the better team today. Liverpool produced a performance of tackling, hassling and getting about us.

“The source of our defeat was not coping with the hassling and the tackling. You have to give them credit for that - but at the end of the day, we should cope.

“We started excellently, and it was a wonderful ball from Berbatov for the goal. But I can’t really take anything from the game, apart from Rio Ferdinand’s performance.”

Reflecting on the end of a run of five successive league wins over Liverpool, Ferguson mused: “The difficulty of holding a record like that is that it gives the other team a big incentive every time they play you.”

The United boss, asked about Vidic’s dismissal, retorted: “Carragher was making those challenges all day long, and no fouls were given.

“We had several bookings and a red card. Is that a reflection of Man United being a dirty team? I don’t think so. I think the crowd plays a part.”

England midfielder Michael Carrick did not emerge for the second half after being injured in a 50-50 first-half challenge with Yossi Benayoun, but Ferguson reported: “I don’t think anything is broken.”