No shame in losing to Real deal

Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted Manchester United 'shouldn't be ashamed' of their performance at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

It wasn't just the potentially fatal 3-1 defeat which left United feeling down, more the way they were so comprehensively outplayed by a side packed with major world stars.

Yet, ahead of their crunch Premiership trip to Newcastle on Saturday, Ferguson doesn't believe confidence within his squad has been affected by the mauling and, in 35-goal striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, claimed they had one of the best players on show in the Spanish capital.

"My team shouldn't be ashamed of their performance on Tuesday," he said.

"They have taken part in a fantastic game of football. You won't get another game as good or as intense as that. All the Real Madrid players said afterwards they had not had as hard a European game.

"We have looked at the video and in terms of the attacking we did very well. We controlled some periods of the match and their first two goals came on the counter-attack.

"In European football your concentration has to be 100%. You can't afford to make mistakes."

"But, for a period in the first half the players were a little bit mesmerised with some of the stuff Real played. A lot of it didn't hurt us but it was marvellous to watch."

However slender their hopes are, United deserve credit for still having an interest in the second leg and they are also aware that with Van Nistelrooy in the side, they are never without hope.

The prolific Dutchman took his tally for the season to 35 in Madrid, just one behind last year's mark with six Premiership games still remaining.

Van Nistelrooy scored a hat-trick in the 5-3 Old Trafford win against tomorrow's opponents and Ferguson believes he can rightly be regarded as one of the world's best.

"You can't believe how much improvement he has made," said Ferguson.

"There were two great players on the pitch on Tuesday, he was one and Raul was the other. For forward players, the two performances were absolutely outstanding.

"It was the biggest game in the world and Ruud played like it.

"Of all the players I have had, the great players are the ones who have the desire to improve.

"Ruud has the hunger to be the best. I predicted he could score as many goals again. We knew he would improve."

With Arsenal on FA Cup duty this weekend, Ferguson knows a victory against Newcastle would give his team a significant psychological lift ahead of Wednesday's title showdown with the Gunners at Highbury.

Juan Sebastian Veron is definitely out, while England skipper David Beckham is facing a late fitness test on the hamstring injury he picked up trying to outdo Roberto Carlos in midweek.

With just three wins from their last 13 visits to St James' recent history does not favour Fergie's men.

And the United chief is refusing to rule the Magpies out of the title race even though they fell five points behind with their defeat at Everton on Sunday.

"We don't need to trumpet their cause too much because their home form has been terrific this season," he said.

"Their last three games are against teams at the bottom and they are certainly not out of the title race yet.

"I love going up there because the atmosphere is always fantastic and when you come away, you know you have been involved in a really passionate game of football.

"Bobby Robson has signed some terrific young players over the last few months who are going to improve and he really is doing a great job."

It's eight years since United travelled to Newcastle and pinched three points off Kevin Keegan's league leaders thanks to an Eric Cantona goal which ultimately provided an unstoppable impetus to the Red Devils' title drive.

After hauling back Arsenal's eight-point lead inside the past month, another win on Saturday would no doubt give Ferguson the same feeling, although the biggest game of all is still to come.

"It won't do us any harm to get three points in front of Arsenal," he smiled.

"The important thing is to win it and then we can look forward to the Highbury game, which could be the biggest of the season."