Boss Glad For Final Whistle

On his big day, Sir Alex Ferguson could have done without his players putting him through a nervy final 15 minutes.

Sunderland were the visitors at Old Trafford on the eve of the United manager’s 25th anniversary in charge of the club and the Black Cats appeared determined to spoil the party. The Reds went ahead in first-half injury time but couldn’t extend the lead in the second period and had to soak up plenty of late Sunderland pressure.

“That last 15 minutes was torture,” Sir Alex told MUTV afterwards. “I’d have been quite happy if the whistle had gone at half-time when we were 1-0 up. Sunderland threw everything at us and played very well in that last 15 minutes.”

The Reds, on the other hand, looked off the pace for long periods. Even the decisive goal came via a Sunderland player, Wes Brown having the misfortune to head into his own net on his return to Old Trafford.

Sir Alex wondered whether the magnitude of the occasion – tributes to the boss were in abundance before kick-off, including the renaming of the North Stand to the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand – was a factor in the sub-standard performance.

“It was an anxious day for the players. I think they showed that. They wanted to do well for me.

“These occasions can be a wee bit like that. I remember the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster and we lost 2-0 to Manchester City. That [occasion] got to the players that day. Maybe it happened a little bit today.”

Sunderland fans were unhappy with the match officials at full-time after an incident that saw a combination of referee Lee Mason and assistant award a penalty and then change his mind. But Sir Alex couldn’t understand the fuss.

“I couldn’t believe it [when he awarded a penalty],” he said. “I clearly saw it. I thought the Korean boy [Sunderland’s Ji Dong-Won] had handled it.

“The fact the assistant put his flag across his chest indicated [the award of] a penalty. I don’t think Lee Mason had any idea why, though. And you saw how our players reacted. [In the end] he gave the correct decision.”