Defeat to Celtic will inspire us against Chelsea says
Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced Manchester Uniteds gut-wrenching
Champions League defeat to Celtic can inspire them to victory over
Chelsea on Sunday.
After taking maximum points from their opening three games, Uniteds
European hopes now rest on a last-day encounter with Benfica for
the second season on the trot.
Twelve months ago, the task of beating the Portuguese giants at the
Stadium of Light proved too much for Fergusons men, who crashed out
of Europe before Christmas for the first time in a decade.
At least this time, on home soil, a draw will do, although it is
hardly a situation Ferguson and his team could have imagined when
they made their flying start.
However, the long-serving Red Devils chief has enough faith in the
character within his squad to believe they can lift themselves this
weekend, when victory over Jose Mourinhos men will see United open
a six-point lead at the Premiership summit.
"Obviously we are disappointed but the good thing is we have big
matches before the Benfica game to focus on," he said, after last
nights 1-0 defeat.
"We can put Europe on the backburner and concentrate on Sundays
match, which is massive for us. I am sure it is a game the players
will relish given this result. We have five days to lift the team
now. But if the players have ambitions to win the league they know
how important Sunday is and I dont think they will not let anyone
down."
Although comparisons with 12 months ago are bound to be raised, the
situation is more like the one United faced in 2000 when they
entertained Dynamo Kiev needing a win to seal a spot in the last
16.
On that occasion they succeeded, but only after a late scare when
the Ukrainian side came agonisingly close to knocking them
out.
Ferguson accepts the current scenario should not have arisen, with
Louis Saha wasting a golden opportunity to put them through in the
final minute at Celtic Park when he saw his penalty turned away by
Arthur Boruc, leaving the hosts to toast Shunsuke Nakamuras
80th-minute free-kick.
"It is a shock to lose, really hard to take," admitted
Ferguson.
"We have thrown this game away because we did not take our chances.
As a club, we always seem to do things the hard way and we have to
do it the hard way again this time. To qualify we need a point off
Benfica. It is a home match, so we will try to win. I have no
worries about our home form, or our character. But we need to get
that result."
