Source: Team_Talk
United boss applauds 'great result'
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he feared Manchester United would not get anything from Sunday's thrilling 3-2 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford.[LNB] Dimitar Berbatov scored twice to give United the lead but Steven Gerrard scored a penalty and a free-kick to level the scores.[LNB]However, Berbatov completed his hat-trick to give United a 3-2 win which Ferguson thought was the least his team deserved from the Premier League contest.[LNB]The Scot said: "From thinking to myself 'it's going to be 10' we ended up at 2-2. It was a travesty of a scoreline then - but a great result at the end.[LNB]"They (Liverpool) didn't offer anything and depended on decisions from the linesman to get back in the game.[LNB]"Edwin van der Sar had no saves to make, Paul Scholes controlled the midfield and we looked dangerous up front with Dimitar and Nani - I couldn't see us losing the game."[LNB]Berbatov's second goal was the pick of the scoring, an overhead kick which went in off the bar.[LNB]And after the Bulgarian had become the first United player to score a hat-trick against Liverpool in more than 60 years, Ferguson added on Sky Sports: "It was unexpected, a surprise attempt. Not many of those go in the net but fortunately it did this time.[LNB]"There was a lot of criticism of him (Berbatov) last season from the media - it happens when we buy someone for a lot of money, that's the way of the world.[LNB]"But this season he has started off in the right fashion. He was good in pre-season and on tour and has carried it on. There has never been any doubt about the quality of the man."[LNB]Ferguson revealed Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand have been suffering from a sickness bug, adding: "Ryan was ill at half-time and was feeling really queasy. Rio was the same last night, so we hope it's not going to spread."[LNB]Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson said: "I thought our second half performance was good and we deserved to get back in the game.[LNB]"I think we were a bit unlucky to go two down when we did - and of course to concede late on was tough.[LNB]"We're disappointed but otherwise I thought we made a really good effort in the second half to get back in the game.[LNB]"Had we had a little bit more composure at the end maybe we'd have seen the game out.[LNB]"In the first half I don't think the front players received that many balls they could deal with, more because of good defending than anything else.[LNB]"But then the game opened up and there was more excitement for the fans in the second half."[LNB]Fernando Torres won both the penalty and free-kick which Gerrard scored from, and Hodgson added on Sky Sports: "Fernando is still a player who needs more games, time and training - but we'll get a lot of tremendous use out of him for the rest of the season."
