Youngsters Earn Fergie's Praise

Sir Alex Ferguson was pleased with our fringe players's performance against Roma.

The boss fielded Nani, Eagles, Pique, Evans and Simpson in our final Champions League group game and he had ample reasons to be pleased with them.

"I was pleased with a lot of it," he told Sky Sports. "I think in the second half we gave the ball away too much, which is perhaps understandable with our inexperience at times. But we put up a good performance and I think we can be pleased with that.

"We lacked a bit of experience at times, but it was compensated for by their ability on the ball, we played some good football against the strongest Roma side. We`re really pleased with that."

"In the context of today there wasn`t a great deal in the game for either side, but I think both sides played with quite a deal of freedom in their game. It was end to end and I think in the end it was a very good European game.

"I think we were unlucky in the second half, we had a good bit of football between Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha, and unluckily we weren`t able to put it in, but it was good football.

"It helps them. The sudden bursts of play from Roma can catch you off guard at times. The explosion of noise from their fans is exactly the same thing, and that`s the European game for you. It will do them the world of good."

You know why is it good we did not win? Four teams have completed the group stage with six wins before - but neither of them went on to win the tournament afterwards.