After going 1-0 up through Mario Balotelli in the first half, City took full advantage of Jonny Evans' 47th-minute red card, breaching a woeful United defence five more times with Balotelli scoring a second, Edin Dzeko adding two of his own and Sergio Aguero and David Silva also on target.
Ferguson pulled no punches in his post-match assessment of a result that puts City five points clear of their rivals at the top of the Barclays Premier League table.
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"It was our worst ever day," said Ferguson.
"It's the worst result in my history, ever. Even as a player I don't think I ever lost 6-1. That's challenge for me too.
"I can't believe the scoreline. The first goal was a blow for sure but it was retrievable at 1-0.
"The sending off was a killer for us. We kept attacking when we went 4-1 down and we should have just said: 'We've had our day."'
Ferguson was particularly frustrated with some of his senior players for allowing United to continue playing open football with a man down.
"We just kept attacking. They were attacking three versus two. It was crazy football," he said.
"I thought with the experience we've got - Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra - they would (defend more) but we just kept attacking. Sometimes there has to be common sense about it.
"It was a bad day."
The Scot attempted to find some positives amid his darkest hour and suggested his side would be sufficiently chastened by their embarrassing loss to produce a big response.
"We'll come back. By January we'll be okay. We usually get the show on the road in the second half of the season and that will have to be the case," he added.
"We've played all the teams around us and they have all to play each other so the second half of the season is important to us now.
"We will react, no question about that. It's a perfect result for us to react to because there is a lot of embarrassment in the dressing room and that will make an impact."
The scale of the defeat did concern Ferguson, though, as he looked ahead to the potential importance of goal difference as the season progresses.
"What did concern me was the goals for and against. Goal difference may count. Last year it was in our favour, most years it is in our favour...this time maybe not."
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More noise!
Stop shopping in bargain basement then get 2 top quality midfielder players and get 3 of carrick gibson fletch anderson and park on the next plane out, your policy is going to leave us trailing in Citys wake, it is now about money fact thankfully the Glazers have seen what is happening
Money talks, Sir Alex. Put up or shut up.
A bloody shambles!!
In all fairness, Fergie has been utterly civilised in the lead up to this game and the mutual respect between Roberto and him is actually a pleasant change to behold! I pity the next team united play (in the league) as they are probably going to be on the end of a severe backlash but, having said that, I genuinely don't see the spark with this squad that has been bitterly evident to me in all the previous 20 or so seasons!
Now, I came on here a few days ago and got slagged off even though I told the truth. I said that smalling and jones were overrated and that fletcher and anderson werent up to it.....cue silly united comments from idiots who clearly know nothing. As an ex semi-pro I think I have some knowledge of players and yet clowns on here cant enter into proper debate as they are deluded and think their team is better than it is. Only Rooney would get near City's first team and anyone who is anyone would recognise that.
Better get used to it cos if thats the best you have to offer then my prediction of third will be proved true......
It happens, we,ll get over it. Nothing wrong losing to a good team, well done blue noses.
We move on.
Cue all RAGS following Ferguson's lead and blaming the sending off. No, you were stuffed regardless. Get used to it, it'll be happening a lot more from now on.
Blue Moon Rising!!!!!!
Surely Fergie has been mis-quoted.... he should have said, "it's the worst result in my history.....YET!!!"
This is going to cost me a fortune in newspapers tomorrow morning......oh what a FANTASTIC day!!!!!
Some of our players were giving up when we were 4-1 down, while the others still keep fighting. It was a terrble result against our fierce rival. Of course we want a revenge, but if with the quality of this team, the next meeting at their home, City will demolish us again.
Our victory against them in the Charity Shield (3-2) was very close, which Nani scored the winning goal in the final miniute. On that day, City still haven't signed Nasri and Aguero still not fit enough to start. City currently, with so many top class players start to gel together very well and their quality proves today that they are much better than us, especially in the midfield. Toure and Silva are top class, while Anderson and Fletcher are just fair players. I personlally believe that Jones is a much better player than Evans. SAF shouldn't brought Nani out as he's the only one that got quality to beat City defenders.
We are arguably one of the richest club in the world. However, it doesn't matter and all that important is the real quality on the pitch. If we don't spend big to sign top class player, we cannot fight against the big spenders like City
So don,t try hanging on like LIAM FOX YOU BOTH HAVE BEEN FOUND OUT CALL IT A DAY
6.1 how much sleep will the likes of Rio EVANS fergie lose over it not much but it will haunt fans for the next 50yrs its a pity the Glazers don,t have balls if they had Fergie would already spending time with his wife
Aaw!
:)
The pupil did well.
hahahahahaha back to dublin/belfast/surrey and singapore....pumped 6-1....priceless....longsight is a sea of blue yeeeeha
£473 Million wasted on loans. How many top class players could have been bought with that amount?
That would have bought 19 David Silva's or 19 Balotelli's or 13 Aguero's.
sorry but your to blame for this.too much tinkering,plus keep picking your favourites doesnt help either. time to come clean about why we cant buy a top midfielder or any top player for the matter of fact. we are are one of the worlds top clubs but we spend like mid table club,why alex? why not tell us the truth about where all the money going these days?
Send for Bebe!
Tearful Taggart torment.
SAF will proberly go at the end of the season. He knows his time is up as utd have been shown for what they are just an average team made to look good last season as the other teams all had a bad patch during the season. Utd didnt they were average all the way through. This season city have pushed on with great new signings whilst utd even though they bought some players, saf has not bought anyone who you would say is world class. They had their chance but for reasons only saf and the board know it did not happen. I Cannot see utd being city's mane threat this season maybe Chelsea but after watching their first half performance against QPR i dont know now. Its citys title for the taking lets hope they dont blow it. As for utd, they will have to buy big in january if the players are available. If not then it will be a long hard season. Then in the summer break a total overhaul will be needed starting with the manager.
Six - one? That's a battering by anyone's standards. Poor United.
utter rubbish. if we keep playing evans and fletcher we will never get any better. hurry up back vidic and cleverly .i realy think SAF is loosing the plot.
SAF tends to hold on to his older players although they had well passed their peak; the last in this category is Ferdinand. I think the only mistake he made today in team selection was this: Jones should have been there right from the start or, maybe, Fabio should have played at rightback with Smalling in the central defence. All through the game I kept saying to myself "where was Ferdinand?" . Then came Evans' sending off which was correct, but with slow Ferdinand still on the field City's attack went on a honeymoon. In the last 15 minutes United's defence was just not professional !!!
Well the disaster waiting to happen, happened. Full marks to City for the c;inical way they dismantled a totally inept United team.
I thought when i saw fletcher in midfield it would be at least 2 - 0 for City. Fletcher has an amazing ability to bring everone else down to his level.
United's weaknesses totally exposed by a City team that didn't even have to break into a sweat. Ithought that recently Evra was improving but in this game he was back to his last 2 years form(?). In the 2 crucial 2nd and 3rd goals, coming down the left defensive side of the field, where was Evra - ambling around, way behind the ball. In fact on Silva's goal, down the same it was wellbeck, the center forward, who was chaing Silva - again Evra nowhere to be found.
Don't even need to comment about Evan's disastrous sending of.
Strangely the onlt time in the game that UInited looked likely to score was that short period when Fletcher was moved to cover at right back - out of mid-field. Then for some inexplicable reason SAF put him back in midfield - back to nothing coming from there (yes, I did see the reaaly good goal) for the attack to move on.
I knkow SAF is a stubborn old so and so at times but why he thinks Fletcher is a capable midfielder is beyond me - it puts way to much pressure on the other midfielder to do something constructive and Anderson has shown he hasn't got that when Fletcher is playing.
Evra is passed his best sell for date and needs replacing.
Hopefully for United fans this should be the wake-up call but I think SAF is ust too stubborn. This was not a one off display -it's just that someone took advantage of the lack of midfield and defensive liabilities down the left flank.
Full marks to City, by far the better team even when 11 on 11.