Michael Owen's dramatic derby winner saved his team-mates from
the dreaded "hairdryer" treatment from Sir Alex Ferguson, according
to Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra.
Evra said it would have been "very difficult" to enter the
dressing room after his side's match with Manchester City had the
score remained 3-3, in a game Ferguson claimed his side should have
won "by six or seven".
Sloppy errors by United goalkeeper Ben Foster and defender Rio
Ferdinand gifted City two of their three goals, before Owen's
controversial 96th minute winner earned the three points for his
side.
''It would have been very difficult to go inside the dressing
room if we had drawn,'' Evra told MUTV. ''I think the
manager would have given the hairdryer to everybody.
''But to score like that, in the last second of the game, was
just amazing. The players on the bench were coming on the pitch,
the fans, the atmosphere - this is why I say thanks to God I play
in the Premier League and for United.''
The Football Association are investigating Gary Neville's
over-the-top goal celebration, plus Craig Bellamy's clash with a
fan immediately after Owen's matchwinner.
But Evra is now more focused on a title race in which everyone,
apart from Chelsea, has now lost at least one game.
''It was important to win because City hadn't lost,'' he said.
"When we were drawing, I was thinking that people would start to
say that City are still strong because they never lose. Now
everybody has lost, except for Chelsea.''