Fergie: It’s important winning the Manchester United way

Ferguson said: “I can live with the slow start because once they scored it lifted us off; we looked angry and committed and began to play like Manchester United.”

He added: “There was a lot of space on the terraces due to traffic problems on the motorway. The crowd was quiet and we played slowly and struggled to cope with their system.

“We have too many young players to play the patient game but once we play the cut throat way we look a good team; once we got into a rhythm we looked good and it woke the crowd up.

“Winning the right way, the Manchester United way is important but if you had asked me at the beginning of the game would I take a scabby goal to take us through I would have taken it, absolutely.”