20110310

Ferguson: On Reds defeat
There’s more live football on Sky Sports than ever before, including the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, England away Euro 2012 qualifiers and La Liga. With four live Sky Sports channels, as well as Sky Sports News, you’ll never miss a moment on Sky. Click here for more.
Related links
Teams
Also see
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken for the first time about his side’s defeat to Liverpool at the weekend.
Ferguson and United refused to talk to any media at Anfield following the 3-1 defeat, but unsurprisingly the Scottish tactician was not amused.
He admits the performance was below the level he normally expects of his players.
“I have no excuses for the poor performance at Liverpool, who were the better team and deserved their win,” Ferguson said.
“I was disappointed because we didn’t perform to the level I expect and which, to be fair, we generally achieve.”
Arsenal challenge
He also acknowledged that Arsenal’s title challenge is very much something he is aware of.
“Last season they (Arsenal) faded around the February to March period to leave Chelsea and ourselves in a two-horse race that saw us pipped at the post by a point,” he continued.
“I think most pundits expected to see something similar this season, plus a challenge from Spurs and Manchester City to make it even more difficult for Arsenal to get back up to the top.
“But Arsene Wenger and his players have rearranged the pecking order somewhat to come storming through to lie in second place.
“Clearly they represent the main danger to us achieving our ambitions in a revival of the rivalry of a few years ago, and I am sure they regard us as the major threat to their hopes.”
‘ );
}
});
$.ajax(
url: “/yourview/comments_json/0,26302,6804958_”+selectedPageNumber+”_20,00.txt”,
cache: true,
dataType: “json”,
success: function(json)
loadingFinished = true;
$(‘#load-comments’).html(”);
processJSONComments(json, selectedPageNumber);
if (typeof _hbPageView != “undefined”)
myPN = hbx.pn + ” – ” + selectedPageNumber;
myMLC = hbx.mlc + “/” + selectedPageNumber;
_hbPageView(myPN, myMLC);
if (typeof SKY_TRACKING != “undefined”)
// section will remain as it is on the page
// contentType will be “article comments” or “match comments”
SKY_TRACKING.contentType = “article comments”;
SKY_TRACKING.pagination = “page ” + selectedPageNumber;
sky.tracking.launch ( SKY_TRACKING );
$(‘#load-comments’).css(‘min-height’, ” );
$(‘#load-comments’).css(‘display’, ” );
$(‘#load-comments’).children(‘.ss-opinion-comment-box-comment’).show();
},
error: function (XMLHttpRequest, textStatus, errorThrown)
loadingFinished = true;
$(‘#load-comments #loading’).remove();
$(‘#load-comments’).children(‘.ss-opinion-comment-box-comment’).show();
});
window.location.hash=’yourviewcomments’;
return false;
});
}
function processJSONComments(json,page)
var perPage = 20;
var beginIndex = (page-1) * perPage;
var createdComments = 0;
var comment;
$(‘.ss-opinion-comment-box ul.pagination li’).removeClass(‘on’);
$(‘.ss-opinion-comment-box ul.pagination’).find(‘li:eq(‘+page+’)’).addClass(‘on’);
$(‘.pag-key span’).html(page);
for(var i in json)
comment = jsoni;
createComment(i, comment);
createdComments++;
updatePagination(page);
}
function processXMLComments(xml,page)
var perPage = 20;
var beginIndex = (page-1) * perPage;
var createdComments = 0;
$(‘.ss-opinion-comment-box ul.pagination li’).removeClass(‘on’);
$(‘.ss-opinion-comment-box ul.pagination’).find(‘li:eq(‘+page+’)’).addClass(‘on’);
$(‘.pag-key span’).html(page);
$(“comment”,xml).each(
function(index,node)
createComment(index, node);
createdComments++;
);
updatePagination(page);
}
function updatePagination(page)
var paginationItems = $(“ul.pagination”);
var totalPages = 0;
var startPage = 1;
if( totalPages ‘ +
startPage + ”;
if( startPage == page )
$(node).addClass(‘on’);
else
$(node).removeAttr(‘class’);
$(node).html(pageHtml);
startPage++;
}
);
}
);
setupCommentPageClickHandlers();
}
function createComment(index, commentNode )
if(commentNode.ownerDocument)
var user = $(“user”,commentNode).text();
var favTeam = $(“favTeam”,commentNode).text();
var comment = $(“body”,commentNode).text();
var dateCreated = $(“dateCreated”,commentNode).text();
var editorComments = $(“editorComments”,commentNode).text();
else
var user = commentNode.user;
var favTeam = commentNode.favTeam;
var comment = commentNode.body;
var dateCreated = commentNode.dateCreated;
var editorComments = commentNode.editorComments;
var nomination = commentNode.ysTitle;
var commentHTML = ”;
$(‘#load-comments’).append(commentHTML);
}
Wednesday action
Pictures from Wednesday’s action where Spurs hold Milan and Everton draw against Birmingham.
Lessons learnt
Peter Fraser picks through the wreckage of Arsenal’s Champions League defeat to Barcelona.
Quotes of the week
Stephen Ireland stole this week’s QOTW, while Blatter, Fergie and Harry all stopped in for a chat.
Ferguson breaks silence
Man Utd manager Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken for the first time about his side’s defeat to Liverpool.
Redknapp remains calm
Harry Redknapp does not want to get carried away by Tottenham’s celebrations at reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.
Spurs scrape into last eight
Tottenham were able to stand firm against AC Milan on Wednesday and grind out a 0-0 draw which keeps their European dream alive.

Originally posted here:
Ferguson breaks silence
