United Still Haunted

Manchester United assistant boss Mike Phelan confesses he is unlikely to forget the pain of losing the Premier League title to Manchester City.

United failed to retain the trophy last season as they were beaten to top spot by derby rivals City in the final seconds of the campaign on an astonishing last day.

But Sir Alex Ferguson's Old Trafford club had also thrown away an eight-point lead in the final six games in uncharacteristic fashion.

And, much as Phelan would like to forget results - such as blowing a 4-2 lead in the last seven minutes to draw at home to Everton, there have been times when it has been impossible.

"You have moments when you reflect," he said.

"I wouldn't say you sit down and analyse and analyse and keep churning it over but there are moments when someone will say something or something else takes you back.

"Then you start to give it a bit of your time. It was dramatic, as dramatic as it has ever been, and very disappointing at the same time."

Phelan added: "In some ways, when you do look into it and start to think, you wonder whether the eight-point lead came at the right time. Did it settle us down too much?

"Obviously there were games we should have won, that we were in control of, that we let slip.

"It was through lack of concentration in certain games, especially Everton, when we were at home and 4-2 up. It was there for a Manchester United win and it didn't happen.

"But you could also pinpoint other games; Wigan, losing a goal right on half-time against Manchester City, which changed the second half. The whole season just finished disappointingly flat."

United are currently on a pre-season tour in South Africa and Phelan thinks he can sense an appetite to recover next season.

"Definitely," he said. "This football club creates that anyway. You know you have to achieve.

"The benefit for me is the fact that I played and coached here and have now started on the management side. You know what it takes to stay there and how you need to stay there.

"I wouldn't say it was pressure but you want to succeed, because you know it means so much to everybody - not just yourself but people all around the world."