Ferguson accepts Fulham full value for win

Manchester United 1 Fulham 3: One of the enduring pleasures of Old Trafford is that Manchester United's fans, even when engulfed in disappointment, are willing to appreciate the finesse of opponents.

Just as Arsenal were clapped off after winning the title here, Fulham's players were applauded all the way down the tunnel.

It is one of Alex Ferguson's better qualities, too, that on occasions such as this he is never slow to praise United's opponents, no matter how painful.

That he made a point of acclaiming Fulham's victorious players on Saturday was especially appealing, because Ferguson has not been this enraged, and as openly critical of his players, since the belly-flop at Manchester City a year ago. Not even in Stuttgart, where he had felt it necessary to castigate his defenders after the Champions League defeat three weeks ago, did he seem to take defeat as such a personal affront, using words such as "unrecognisable" and "lifeless" and volunteering that Fulham "could have scored six".

Serving the first of a two-match touchline ban, Ferguson's expression when he left his seat two minutes before the final whistle was of a man who had found a woodlouse in his slippers.

Along the row, Roy Keane's seat had long been vacated - his glare read like a neon sign: Leave Well Alone. Keane had been sitting next to the comedian Peter Kay, who looked distinctly uncomfortable. This, after all, was no time to be seeking a laugh, not even a solitary "'ave it" when one of Diego Forlan's shots threatened to bring down any pigeons.

The most common verdict to Saturday's inquest was that Ferguson was as guilty as his players. Dropping Keane, it was decided, had been asking for trouble. Leaving out Paul Scholes and making four changes to the side which beat Rangers last Wednesday was nothing short of arrogant. Ferguson had been complacent, it was alleged. He had written Chris Coleman's team talk for him.

It would be an injustice to Fulham, however, to credit this result as anything other than a spirited and vibrant performance from a side playing with a level of self-belief that has made mugs of pre-season pundits everywhere. Coleman, four years old when Ferguson took charge of his first match as a manager, was asked to pick out one player who had stood out and went through Steed Malbranque, Lee Clark, Alain Goma and Sylvain Legwinski before finally accepting that it was probably better to describe it as "great team effort".

Granted, things might have been different if Keane and/or Scholes had started, but Fulham still negated a team comprising 11 internationals (13 including substitutes), the most expensive teenager in British football and a forward reputed to be Europe's most predatory striker.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy were never as incisive as their Fulham counterparts, Malbranque and Louis Saha. In fact, Ronaldo was the worst player on the pitch. Ryan Giggs and Tim Howard emerged with some credit, but the most impressive individuals belonged to the side in white.

Ferguson must have thought Mikael Silvestrehad eradicated the type of mistake that led to Malbranque setting up Clark for the opening goal. United's usual retort to such impudence is one of riled excellence, but a fine goal by the otherwise bewildering Forlan was totally against the run of play and, apart from a 10-minute spell early in the second half, Fulham never looked the weaker side.

Inspired by the indefatigable Clark, Malbranque restored the lead, toe-poking his shot between John O'Shea's legs after Rio Ferdinand had failed to cut out Luis Boa Morte's cross, and the French midfielder then set up Junichi Inamoto for a classy third.

Coleman, a thoroughly impressive individual, hailed his players as "marvellous" and described it as the "greatest moment of his career". He appreciated the ovation at the end, too. This was a record Premiership crowd and, for the most part, they had watched in stunned silence.

But the question for Ferguson is surely not why he made so many changes but why he has not assembled a more competent group of understudies.