SOCCER:Rio Ferdinand admits the hammering Manchester United took at the hands of title rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford has given the world champions a very rude awakening.
After carrying all before them since their last defeat at Arsenal in November, collecting the Club World Cup and Carling Cup, as well as establishing a handsome lead in the Premier League, reaching the last four of the FA Cup and last eight in Europe, United suffered their biggest home defeat by the Merseysiders since 1936.
It has cut United’s advantage to four points, although they do still have a game in hand, and given them a few problems to address ahead of next weekend’s trip to Fulham, when Nemanja Vidic will be suspended because of his red card.
“We have got a rude awakening,” admitted Ferdinand. “None of us has been taking anything for granted but subconsciously there may have been complacency.
“Losing any game is disappointing but losing to a team who we have such a big rivalry with is even worse. And the scoreline takes it beyond that. It is very hard to take.”
Ferdinand felt Vidic’s dismissal was the turning point. Although time was starting to tick down for the Red Devils, they were enjoying one of their few fruitful spells and had just introduced Dimitar Berbatov, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in a triple substitution.
Most observers felt referee Alan Wiley got it exactly right when he showed Vidic the red card for his blatant foul on Steven Gerrard.
Ferdinand, the nearest player to the incident, was not so sure. “It was debatable,” said the England star. “I don’t want to jump on the referee’s back but I would probably have got over there given the direction the ball was going in. But the referee made his decision and you have to get on with it.”
The dismissal compounded an already pretty miserable day for Vidic, who gifted Fernando Torres Liverpool’s equaliser with two elementary mistakes.
First the Serbian allowed Martin Skrtel’s long punt forward to bounce when he could have headed it away under little pressure. Then he allowed Torres to nick the ball away from him before he could get it back to Edwin van der Sar.
Not that Ferdinand, or anyone else for that matter, will be giving Vidic a hard time given the 27-year-old’s outstanding season.
“Nemanja has been one of our most consistent players this season,” said Ferdinand. “Everyone is allowed to make a mistake here and there so we won’t be getting on to him about it.”
Such is the fierce competitive instinct running through this United side that they cannot wait for next Saturday.
In fact, while it could be argued Ferguson’s side have been treading water since the Carling Cup final, the last thing Ferdinand wants right now is a week’s break.
“It would be nice if there was a game around the corner,” he reflected. “But results like this can be turned into a positive. Any complacency that was there will have torn out of us.
“At least we are still a good position even if it doesn’t soften the blow. Now we have to dust ourselves down and get our minds right for the game at Fulham next week, when we will hopefully get ourselves back on track.”
