Sir Alex: Patience Was Key

Sir Alex Ferguson says patience was pivotal in United’s 2-0 win over Otelul Galati in the UEFA Champions League.

The boss praised the performances of Nani, Anderson and Wayne Rooney in particular, after the latter converted two penalties to seal a hard-fought triumph in Romania.

"You have to work hard to get the victory in away games as it is not easy,” Sir Alex explained. “They (Galati) made it very difficult for us but we have possession figures to show we were in control of the game.

"In the second-half we improved a great deal. Nani’s performance was terrific, Rooney started to come into the game and Anderson was terrific too. I was satisfied with the result.

"It was a long night but we had to be patient to work through the game.We didn’t have enough penetration in the first-half as Rooney played more in midfield, but he moved further up the field in the second-half which created problems for them. He has great composure and he took his penalties well."

Sir Alex also revealed he is unlikely to appeal Nemanja Vidic’s straight red card against Galati, despite question marks being raised over the severity of the referee’s decision.

“He (Vidic) has raised his foot and in the context of a lot referee’s interpretations - particularly in Europe - you can see why he has given the red card. But it was very harsh.”

Victory in Bucharest moves United up to second in Group C, just two points behind leaders Benfica with three games remaining. This state of play means the Reds are in the driving seat, according to the boss.

“We won and that is the important thing. We have to do our job at Old Trafford, hopefully we can win beat Galati again which brings us to eight points and I’ve always said that 10 points gets you through.”