<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Ferguson calm despite cup defeat </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV> <DIV class=cap>Ferguson looks on as his team crash out of the Carling Cup</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said his side must quickly put behind them the shock 1-0 Carling Cup defeat at Southend on Tuesday.
He said: "We need to look forward, not back. It was a disappointing night but there is no need for a knee-jerk reaction, no mass sackings.
"Maybe there will be a little bit of recrimination and maybe a few of my players will be embarrassed.
"They have to pick themselves up, that is the name of the game at this club."
United fell to Freddie Eastwood's stunning first-half 30-yard free-kick.
And Ferguson said: "I bet he doesn't score another goal like that in his life.
"If you are going to lose, it might as well be to something special like that."
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>There is no harm in defeat providing it improves you and you can learn from it <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>Sir Alex Ferguson</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"It is a great reminder to everyone at the club that football can smack you in the face.
"I have been here 20 years and I am not impervious to it either.
"In a way, it is great for me because I know tomorrow we can pull our togs on and start working again.
"There is no harm in defeat providing it improves you and you can learn from it.
<DIV class=arr>"We have lost three times this season now, all 1-0, so there is not much wrong with us. </DIV>
"Our form in the league has been good and we will be ready to face Blackburn on Saturday." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
He said: "We need to look forward, not back. It was a disappointing night but there is no need for a knee-jerk reaction, no mass sackings.
"Maybe there will be a little bit of recrimination and maybe a few of my players will be embarrassed.
"They have to pick themselves up, that is the name of the game at this club."
United fell to Freddie Eastwood's stunning first-half 30-yard free-kick.
And Ferguson said: "I bet he doesn't score another goal like that in his life.
"If you are going to lose, it might as well be to something special like that."
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>There is no harm in defeat providing it improves you and you can learn from it <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>Sir Alex Ferguson</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"It is a great reminder to everyone at the club that football can smack you in the face.
"I have been here 20 years and I am not impervious to it either.
"In a way, it is great for me because I know tomorrow we can pull our togs on and start working again.
"There is no harm in defeat providing it improves you and you can learn from it.
<DIV class=arr>"We have lost three times this season now, all 1-0, so there is not much wrong with us. </DIV>
"Our form in the league has been good and we will be ready to face Blackburn on Saturday." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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