Alex Ferguson said today that We got a lucky break, he could have been sent off.

If you go a goal down early in a cup final you've got a job to do, you need a lot of patience, Sir Alex told MUTV. Once we scored we looked a lot stronger. The first half was a real ding-dong battle, it was a soft tiring pitch and it took...

Every player knows where Valencia is in the team, explained Ferguson. You get those switches of play and Scholesy (Paul Scholes) is continually finding him, getting the ball to him. It gives you great relief if you are in front. You know...

Ferguson said: He got a whack right away. He has been complaining about that for a few weeks and I thought we might have to take him off.

You take what you can get in this game, Ferguson added. You appreciate the huge achievements and the luck that we have carried. We have lost Wembley finals. Losing is not easy. The only way to enjoy Wembley is to win. This feels as good as...

I think it was a brilliant header, it arced really well under the bar. It was well placed. The goalkeeper did really well to get near it, Ferguson said.

We enjoy every trophy we win, Ferguson added. If we can win something, we try to win it. You have to accept what you can get. Any trophy is good for us. From here you have to keep your focus - and you don't make mistakes.

He's in that form and it's his season, said Ferguson. He's scoring important goals. The header didn't really have any real pace but it was well-placed and the goalkeeper had a lot of work to do to get anywhere near it.

It was a brilliant header, Ferguson said of the goal.

On Owen's injury, Ferguson said: He's not had a lot of football and the pitch probably wasn't the best for him. You pick the team before you know the pitch conditions, and Michael isn't suited to a heavy pitch like that. We paid the penalty for it....

But after bringing on Rooney to replace the injured Michael Owen, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: He's been playing with a bit of that [a swollen knee] for a few weeks and he's holding it a bit tonight. I thought we might have to take him...

As Ferguson said: In the last 10 minutes they threw that big brigade up there. They are all six feet four. It's like the Alamo and you need a wee bit of luck.

Referring to Owen, Ferguson said: He's not had a lot of football and the pitch probably wasn't the best for him. You pick the team before you know the pitch conditions, and Michael isn't suited to a heavy pitch like that. We paid the penalty for...

Ferguson said: I knew weeks ago that Wayne wouldn't be playing in the final. This was a good opportunity to give him a break because we have massive games on Saturday [at Wolves] and next Wednesday [against AC Milan]. But Michael did really well...

It's his season, Ferguson said of Rooney, who's become the focal point of United's attack since Cristiano Ronaldo was sold to Real Madrid for a world-record 80 million pounds in June. He scores so many vital goals for us.

United manager Alex Ferguson said: There's been three or four in the last week that have been similar to that. It is very difficult for the referee. I have not seen it but Vidic was lucky not to be booked, anyway.

Wayne knew a few weeks ago he wouldn't be starting the final, Ferguson said. We've got massive games on Saturday (against Wolves in the league) and next Wednesday (the second leg of the Champions League tie against AC Milan). It was an...

LONDON: Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester City's defeat of Chelsea at the weekend has put Arsenal back in the frame in the Premier League title tussle.

That's not what I said, Ferguson said. Our doctors are assessing him at the moment.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who started yesterday's Carling Cup final with Rooney on the bench, said: The doctor is assessing Wayne. I don't know what England will do about it.

Ferguson said: He knew weeks ago that he wouldn't be playing. I even thought we would have to take him off at one point, but he is in that kind of form that says it is just his season.

Ferguson said: I think in the main we were probably the better team but credit for Aston Villa's performance. Towards the last 10 minutes, where they started to shove up that big brigade of theirs, it was like the bloody Alamo.

He said: At the turn of the year you have to focus and make sure you don't make mistakes. We lost a game last week to Everton and I think we were a bit tired but we recovered. We have shown time and time again that this football club has the...

The pitch was very soft and it drained the players. Wembley is a tiring pitch. Fortunately, we've got until next Saturday to recover, said Ferguson.

He said: We show time and time again this club has got the determination. They don't give in. It's a good quality to have and you'll see that in the last part of the season.

Hopefully, I'll get one more this season, Ferguson said. Maybe I'll be too old next year. We enjoy everything. You have to accept what you can get. Any trophy is good for us. Every trophy is special.

Ferguson said: The doctor is assessing it at the minute. I do not know what England will do about it.

He's not had a lot of football and the pitch probably wasn't the best for him, said Ferguson. You pick the team before you know the pitch conditions, and Michael isn't suited to a heavy pitch like that. We paid the penalty for it. That...

You have to accept what you can get. Any trophy is good for us, Ferguson said.

Ferguson said: The header wasn't a brilliant header, not great pace on it but it was well placed just under the bar. The goalkeeper had work to do to get to it. He's in that sort of form. He's scoring so many vital goals for us. We should have put...

He got a whack right away, Ferguson said. He has been complaining about that for a few weeks and I thought we might have to take him off. The doctors are assessing it. I don't know what England are going to do.

But while Ferguson said Vidic was probably lucky, Villa manager Martin O'Neill was left fuming.

He got a whack right away, said Ferguson. He has been complaining a little about that for a few weeks and was holding it a bit today. In fact I thought we might have to take him off but he wanted to stay on so it was good. The doctors are...

I knew he would enter the fray at some stage, Ferguson said of Rooney. He's a world class player and arguably among top three players in the world. He made it more exciting.

He got a whack right away, said Ferguson. He has been complaining a little about that for a few weeks and was holding it a bit. In fact I thought we might have to take him off but he wanted to stay on so it was good. The doctors are...

He told Sky Sports: I think it was the right decision, but we recovered [from that setback]. It was a bad start to the game really, we got caught on the hop really. Michael Owen got a big goal and had a great first half, unfortunately he got a...

There are a lot of big games coming up now and that's why we didn't play him today, but he's had 45, 50 minutes, he said. Michael Owen had a great first half, but unfortunately he got a hamstring injury and had to come off with that. Wayne...

It was a bad start to the game. We got caught on the hop. The penalty kick, I think it was the right decision, said Ferguson. But we recovered and that's the quality of Michael Owen. Unfortunately he's got a hamstring injury and had to...

There's a lot of big games coming up now and that's why we didn't play him today, but he's had 45, 50 minutes, Ferguson told Sky Sports.

Martin has done a good job in a quiet way, without spending a great deal of money, he told the Daily Star. He has bought very wisely and signing Dunne, for me, is the buy of the season - ?5million for him was outstanding business. Martin...

He has great endurance and can run all day, said Ferguson. He's a strong lad, who can play in both wide positions and in the centre of midfield. In the modern day game that is vital.

Dunne is the buy of the season, Ferguson said, according to the Daily Mail. He and James Collins have helped Villa improve defensively this season. They are a professional, organised team and Martin O'Neill has done a terrific job with his...

Perhaps emphasizing the superiority that Ferguson feels over Manchester City , who have not reached a major final for 29 years, he added, These finals help explain to my players exactly why they are at Manchester United and what this club is all...

I know my team for the AC Milan game already, Ferguson says. The Carling Cup final selection will be a little bit trickier because I'm going to have to make two or three changes. Wembley is a tiring pitch - it's a tiring occasion,...

Ferguson added: It's going to be difficult for Fabio to pick him because Michael isn't playing regularly. I hoped he would have been getting more games, so he could have put his credentials in front of Fabio. That's not been the case so far. But...

We don't give in and it's a good quality to have. I think you'll see that in the remainder of the season, said the manager, who will have Rio Ferdinand available for Saturday's game at Wolverhampton. There are a lot of hard games [to...

I am pleased because I think that when you concede a goal so early in a cup final you have a job coming back to win, said Ferguson, who has now won the League Cup four times in his spectacular United career. Wayne is in that type of form....

Dimitar is consistent, said Ferguson. He has played well in recent games.

What Sir Alex Ferguson called a typical Michael Owen goal - a well-timed run in the left channel with a dip of the left shoulder proceeding a shot into the top corner, in the 3-0 beating of West Ham in midweek - has certainly put the forward...

Ferguson, speaking in the official match programme, said: Martin has done a good job in a quiet way without spending a great deal. He has bought very wisely and signing Dunne is the buy of the season. ?5m for him was outstanding business. Martin...

And in a further barb at City, who have spent ?200m trying to rebuild their team and put up a provocative Welcome to Manchester poster of Carlos Tevez, Ferguson added: 'Martin has done a good job in a quiet way without spending a great deal...

United coach, Alex Ferguson said of the final, Wembley is an occasion. It has always been that way. But the only way you can enjoy Wembley is by winning. We have got an opportunity to win something on Sunday. It is not a nice day when you lose.

While Ferguson described the quest for a 19th league title as in my soul, no such phrases are invoked to describe a competition that is a lesser priority.

I'm thinking about the younger ones to give them that smell [of success], Ferguson said. There are two or three that come into that category, like Darron Gibson, Jonny Evans and Rafael. They obviously have to be considered, but it would be...

He said: In the modern day game we are always tempted to try to get the best players from Europe. That is a fact. We would endorse the fact if you can get an English player it would be better and Martin has gone with British players. He has never...

We have ten league games and hopefully six European ties and tomorrow's final so that is 17 games. A goal a game would bring him to 44. There's pressure for you, said Sir Alex. I think it is hard to think he could reach that. It is a...

Ferguson said: It has to be a consideration. The problem is he is desperate to play. He always is.

Ferguson said: It has to be a consideration simply because we have important games coming up.

Ferguson said: We've 10 league games left to play, hopefully we'll get six European ties and the Carling Cup final. That's 17 games. A goal a game would bring Wayne to 44 goals, but it's hard to think he'll get that. If he gets over 30, I'll be...

Ryan still has the injury to the arm, said Ferguson.

...as he pondered a fixture list which includes a return meeting with Milan at Old Trafford on March 10 and vital Premier League games, Ferguson said: It has to be a consideration simply because we have important games coming up. The problem...

It has to be a consideration simply because we have important games coming up, said the United boss. The problem is he is desperate to play, he is always desperate to play. Maybe it is his chance to play right-back because he keeps telling...

Ferguson said: He's down to earth, he's intelligent and I think all his teams work hard and respect him everywhere he's been. Where he was good at Leicester was plucking players who were not doing well at other clubs - who were run-of-the-mill...

He has to learn, against Ronaldinho, that this is the real world, Ferguson said.

Ferguson said: We've got 10 league games left, the Carling Cup final and a possible six more games in the Champions League if we reach the final. A goal a game would bring Wayne to 44. There's pressure. But who wouldn't thrive on that? Crikey me....

I think the BBC is the kind of company that never apologise and they never will apologise, he said.

Dimitar is consistent, said Ferguson. On Saturday he looked like the only one who could score and has performed well in recent games. We do have a preference to play one striker sometimes, but that does not reflect on him in any way, or...

We have 10 league games after Sunday and hopefully six European ties. That is 17 games in total, said Ferguson. A goal a game would bring him to 44. There's pressure for you. It is a target and who wouldn't love to get that kind of goal...