Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Fletcher hits back at United critics
DARREN Fletcher says United have struck a major blow against United's critics with a derby win to top off a critical week.
The champions had been under the microscope following an up and down opening to the new campaign after a quiet summer in the transfer market.
With Tottenham and City leading the charge of the potential Big Four gatecrashers and a tricky Champions League opener in Turkey sandwiched in between, the Reds faced a challenging eight days.
But a 3-1 victory at White Hart Lane, a 1-0 triumph against Besiktas and now a thrilling 4-3 defeat of the Blues have answered the Reds' detractors.
"Everyone has been writing us off and the lads have responded," said two-goal Fletcher.
"Winning away at Tottenham, away at Besiktas and now winning the derby is a fantastic reply. It was a hard week in football terms and you cannot ask for much more than how we responded.
"We know how much quality we have got. We believe in the manager and we believe in the players in the dressing room. We look around the dressing room and you are happy to have those players in your team.
United questions
"People have questioned us but you have to use that in the right way and use it as a determination to prove people wrong. We have done that."
United also responded in the Old Trafford derby. Having gone ahead inside two minutes thanks to Wayne Rooney's opener, they then handed the initiative back to City.
"After we scored it went a bit flat," admitted Fletcher. "It was a hot day and after they scored we seemed to lose it and got a bit disheartened which you cannot do in any game.
"We rallied round at half-time. In the second half it was a cooler temperature and it helped us.
"We came out all guns blazing in the second half and played the way we know we can and the way we should always be playing. That should be the standard we play at every week.
"The rally came from everyone. It came from the manager's half-time words, it came from the fans getting behind us and the players.
"If we want to win games we cannot afford to go through the motions as we did for large parts of the first half. But we got it together and deserved to win. City's goals came as a result of mistakes on our behalf which we are disappointed about but we showed great character to come back every time.
"It was nice to score two goals myself but the most important thing was the win. To have scored twice and only drawn the match would have been disappointing."
However, Fletcher admitted that despite the Blues' 4-3 derby defeat, Mark Hughes' side have proved they will be top four contenders.
"They have started the season well and have spent a lot of money and you have to respect that. They are a good side and they are definitely going to be up there around the top four," he added.
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