Football Talk - Ferguson takes blame for below-par Manchester United - 08/04/09
Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester United paid the price against Porto for the 'gamble' he took by choosing to play just 48 hours prior to the Champions League tie.
United boss Ferguson had the option of facing Aston Villa in the Premier League last Saturday lunchtime but he chose to arrange the encounter for the Sunday, reasoning that his players would welcome the additional rest after representing their countries on World Cup duty. United overcame Villa in a pulsating encounter, but struggled on Tuesday night when they took on Porto at Old Trafford in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
The fixture ended in a 2-2 draw and Ferguson has conceded the result means the European champions have a "difficult" task ahead at Estadio do Dragao. He said in The Sun: "We showed tiredness because of the gamble I took playing Sunday which was not the best preparation. But we faced a situation and we took the best option hoping a European occasion would bring the adrenalin up."
Ferguson added in The Guardian: "I was tempted to get Villa moved to the Saturday. "However, we had so many players on international duty in places like Bolivia, Rio de Janeiro and Korea, involving some very long and tiring journeys, I thought it best to go with Sunday."
Ferguson also rued his team's defending on the night, with his depleted back four suspect on both goals. The Scot, who has seen his side concede ten goals in their last four matches, added: "It shows the fragile nature of our defence at the moment. It was a terrible goal to give away when you are 2-1 up and seeing the game out. It is a difficult job now, not made any easier when they tell you no British team has won in Porto. But we only have ourselves to blame, we just have to win. We have been first at everything at this club. Let's hope we can be first again."
