McLeish refuses to give in

Champions League / Group E: Rangers forward Peter Lovenkrands insists the club are not out of the Champions League after their defeat at Manchester United.

The Glasgow side are now five points behind United and Stuttgart, who won 3-1 against Panathinaikos.

But Lovenkrands maintains Rangers will be doing all they can to overturn the odds and claim a place in the last 16.

"It looks like we need to get three points at Stuttgart so we will try to do that," he told reporters. "It is the Champions League and anything can happen.

"It was very disappointing. We didn't play to our best and Man Utd took their chances. I had some room in the first half on the wing but I didn't get in the game that much. We tried hard but it wasn't enough.

"They showed how good a team they are and we tried hard but it just wasn't good enough. They were too strong for us."

Rangers manager Alex McLeish praised the younger players in his squad but conceded his more experienced professionals had let the side down at Old Trafford.

"I was pleased with the younger players. I thought Mikel Arteta and Stephen Hughes did quite well. That will have done their experience and development no harm at all. It was especially good to see Hughes come back and do so well.

"We could have had more from some of our experienced players, but United's players had something to do with that."

But the Ibrox manager admitted his side were up against it after Forlan's sixth-minute strike.

"There is no doubt we were beaten by a stronger team tonight. United are a formidable side and, despite people saying they are off the boil at the moment, they are still quite a side."

However, McLeish is refusing to give up on his last-16 aspirations despite a tough test at Stuttgart in the next round of matches.

"We have to win the next two games. That is still possible but we are certainly up against it. We have to believe we can qualify or we may as well throw in the towel right now. We have to go to Stuttgart and produce an inspirational away win to take us into the last game."

United manager Alex Ferguson felt the third goal had taken the heart out of Rangers and sealed the tie for the home side.

"The third goal, I think, just killed them off," he said.

Ferguson also paid tribute to Roy Keane's contribution.

"He's an influence, he's everywhere on the pitch. He does everything you want as a captain."