UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says all FA Cups provide shocks and Liverpool's travelling fans could make difference

Record ID: 336102

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says all FA Cups provide shocks and Liverpool's travelling fans could make difference
  • Date: 8th January 2011
  • Summary: FILE (MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK - AUGUST 7, 2010) (REUTERS) MANCHESTER UNITED TRAINING SESSION
  • Embargoed: 23rd January 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom, United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA8PSSBLRIEGBGCBOSL2L014LHL
  • Story Text: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said on Friday (January 7) that the FA Cup provides shocks and next opponent Liverpool's travelling fans could make the difference in their third round tie on Sunday.
    He also said he hoped to have goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and striker Wayne Rooney back from illness and injury respectively.
    Referring to United's 1-0 third round defeat in the last tournament by Leeds United, who at the time were in the third tier of English soccer, Ferguson told a news conference: "An FA Cup's an FA Cup, you know. It's a tournament which you can never be sure about. We made the mistake last year, picking a team which we thought would be good enough to beat Leeds and got a reminder that the FA Cup is a cup which has shocks in and we got a shock last year and hopefully we don't get one this year. I think I picked the wrong team last year; hopefully I don't pick the wrong team this time."
    He also said that the greater number of travelling fans allowed in the FA Cup compared to the premier league could make a difference.
    "...I think the difference tomorrow will be that -- Sunday rather -- will be their 9,000 fans; that's the main difference. Normally as any premier division game tells you, you're only allowed 3,000 fans in a normal league game, whereas in the cup the percentage goes up. I think, you know I think the rulebook says 15 percent, but in terms of safety and management of supporters, they're given the one part (of the stadium) up at the very top -- are they given the whole end? Probably 9,000 they'll probably give them the whole end. Which I must say definitely generates a fantastic atmosphere. We've experienced that over the years," said the United manager.
    He expressed sympathy for under-fire club bosses, including Liverpool's Roy Hodgson, but declined to go into detail.
    "Listen, I'm not getting into all that. Roy Hodgson doesn't need to justify his record as a manager; his experience and performance level everywhere has been terrific, so I'm not going to get into that."
    Hodgson's planned news conference on Friday was cancelled, with the club citing the intense media speculation.
    Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs was asked in an interview on Friday if facing Liverpool would be tough.
    "Yeah because, you know, you realise that you're against a great club, great traditions, the atmosphere is going to be brilliant, you know. They're going to be bringing 8-9,000 fans. Our fans will be up for it, so -- and you realise that if you lose, you're out, so that gives it that little bit of extra edge, rather than a league game. So you've got to be at your best, you realise that you know you've got to play well and also you need that little bit of luck which, you know, all clubs that have won the FA Cup have had," said Giggs.
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