Boss hopes for watershed

Sir Alex Ferguson is hopeful that the galling nature of Tuesday's late Champions League draw with Porto will galvanize United for the remainder of the season.

The Reds conceded a sloppy late equaliser against the Portuguese champions and, having shipped several avoidable goals recently, the United manager wants his side to reprise the defensive mean streak which sent records tumbling earlier this year.

"There's always a watershed in everything and hopefully Tuesday was that," Sir Alex told Friday's press conference. "The late goal was a real kick in the teeth in the sense that we'd done well to get in the position we were in, winning 2-1.

"It's been a strange situation for us - I think obviously the shock of losing terrible goals to Liverpool had a negative effect but, as I say, there's always a watershed.

"Hopefully, Tuesday was it. The players were really gutted at losing that last goal on Tuesday."

Understandably, the media have been speculating as to why a team who seemed so impervious a month ago have allowed such uncharacteristic concessions. Tiredness is a widespread suggestion, but one which Sir Alex rebukes.

"Some people said we looked tired on Tuesday," he said. "We looked tired in the first half and were short of sharpness and rhythm in our game. But we did well in the second. There is nothing wrong there. We just have to stop these silly goals."

"The second half performance was very good actually, so hopefully we can start having clean sheets again which is important in terms of the championship.

"We have the situation of a four-day rest between Tuesday and Saturday (against Sunderland) and a four-day rest for Porto. Then it's a four-day rest before the semi-final against Everton. So it's the best position we've had for weeks in the spacing of the games.

"Four days is fine for us - perfect. In a normal situation, every season it's Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday at this time of the season so four days is terrific for us."