Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Ferguson salutes Owen sharpness
SIR Alex Ferguson revealed he knew Michael Owen was coming into form after the striker won one of the most memorable Manchester derbies of all time. Owen scored a 96th minute goal to give United a 4-3 win over City at Old Trafford. The United boss told Sky Sports: ?To be fair we noticed in the last two weeks he?s adjusted to training and has been sharper. ?He?s been really good in terms of the intensity of the training and he has got better and better. Even when he came on against Besiktas, he showed that sharpness. ?We were saying that we were going to have to get him on and get him game time because he?s been doing very well.? Wayne Rooney put United ahead before Gareth Barry equalised after a blunder by Reds goalkeeper Ben Foster. Darren Fletcher and Craig Bellamy then scored two goals apiece - United taking the lead both times - before Owen's winner. While Owen only needed one chance to strike, Dimitar Berbatov kept getting denied by City goalkeeper Shay Given. Ferguson added: ?It was a fantastic performance from Dimitar. He was the unluckiest player on the pitch and could have had five goals. ?I felt the game would be in their box. There was no doubt about that in the last 20 minutes we sensed that and there is no one better than Michael Owen when that happens.? Ferguson felt it was one of the classic derby matches, adding: ?What can you say? We?ve given three goals to them. It could have been an embarrassment, 6-0 or 7-0, if we defended our proper way. We could have won by a big score but by making mistakes, which was the essence of the game, we probably were in the best derby game of all time. ?What do you choose? Win the best derby game of all time or win 6-0? I?d probably pick 6-0.? Rio Ferdinand made an error for Bellamy?s second goal, with Ferguson admitting the England defender will be relieved after Owen?s winner. ?I?m sure he is,? Ferguson said. ?We did make terrible mistakes but it is a collective thing at this club, don?t blame Rio himself.? What do you think? Have your say.
