But that is the fate which awaits them at Manchester City on Sunday if Ferguson cannot cajole a better performance out of his injury-hit team than they produced at Newcastle.
"It is obviously a big game against City in the FA Cup," United midfielder Ryan Giggs said. "The atmosphere will be good, we'll take a load of fans there and hopefully we can get back to winning ways."
The obvious problem for Ferguson is the strength of the opposition and his own lack of options.
Only in attack do United have choices to make, and even then it tends to involve who will be asked to play out of position.
Six goals in three games demanded Dimitar Berbatov be picked on Tyneside, but his lacklustre contribution there makes an equally forceful case for the Bulgarian's omission at the weekend.
Ferguson cited a crucial first-half miss by Wayne Rooney as the turning point against Newcastle and the striker, fresh from being disciplined over an ill-advised Boxing Day night out, was substituted after 74 minutes.
However, Rooney will surely keep his place alongside either Danny Welbeck, who has one goal since October, or Javier Hernandez - none since November - or both. And this is where United are strong.
With Tom Cleverley featuring just twice since September 10, Darren Fletcher ruled out for an indefinite period and Anderson only just easing his way back from a long-term knee injury, United's midfield resources have been stretched when it appeared they were painfully thin to start with.
Rooney and Phil Jones have been used at times, with Giggs a more obvious alternative, along with Park Ji-sung and Michael Carrick, who was producing his best performances of the season until he was forced to take up defensive duties.
It was Rafael's presence in United's engine room for the shock loss to Blackburn that was most alarming though, giving rise to yet more speculation about a transfer window move for Wesley Sneijder, even though the suspicion is that Ferguson is not the Inter Milan star's greatest fan.
Providing Chris Smalling does return quickly, as Ferguson stated last week in rejecting stories the England defender had glandular fever, that should at least bolster a defence so obviously missing skipper Nemanja Vidic, who is out for the rest of the season.
Now he has taken the brave decision to axe David de Gea, Ferguson should stick with Anders Lindegaard in goal even though communication in the build-up to Jones's embarrassing own goal last night was non-existent.
"The way we and our supporters should look at it is that we may as well get used to it, because they are not going to go away," the United boss told Inside United.
"We played them in a semi-final last year and the year before, we're both in the Europa League this year and now we are facing them in the FA Cup.
"So we have to get used to the fact that City are going to be challenging for competitions along with us.
"There's every chance we're going to meet at some point, maybe not every year, but on average it's going to be pretty regular.
"It's a hard FA Cup draw for us, but it will be hard for them too."
What do you think? Have your say. Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
I'm not interested in all this any more. I want and end to these terrific performances off the field, while he freezes into nothing during matches. I can't stand his arrogance any more, please? He has just been too comfortable there, knowing that whatever happens he can NEVER be sacked. This has meant that wherever he goes the club should go as well - even down the drain. Yes football managers are motivated by the zeal to win, but equally the fear for the chop. If you remove the chop threat then automatically remain with an Alex Ferguson. I am already thinking a lot about Pep Guardiola taking over in the summer.
It'll be like shooting fish in a barrel.
CTID
Steaming into this Tie is going to play into City's hands.. A wafer thin squad, and a midfield that will be inferior and lacking in creativity, will be a tough ask to come away with anything...
Certain players need to look closely at themselves, and after the debacle at OT, they need to respond in a hugely positive way...
The media expects a home win, if we keep our cool, and limit the chances created... Who knows..
Toughie
The Role Model Ryan states that it's 'Obviously a Bug Game' ???.....It's not a Derby for Utd,that's against Liverpool.....It's against 'Liddle Ol Ciddy' who apparently don't bother Utd.....So I don't get it ???!!!.
this is a dead ceret for us to lose. no chance with the likes of giggs, rio, andersen, evans, carrick, welbeck and valencia
Liverpool is our derby
Is there just the slightest chance that we will see Ravel Morrison and Paul Pogba?
Or is it the usual stale bread culprits,....giggs, park,...carrick.
GO FOR IT! TRY SOMETHING NEW! THROW THEM IN AT THE DEEP END! BE BRAVE !
Liverpool is our derby
United are still miles ahead of City. Great teams establish themselves over decades,
not overnight on the wealth of heavy hitting owners. Mancini has done a fantastic job with his band of mercanaries but win or lose (likely win) on Sunday, United remiain the top team in the Prem.
Up the Reds!
Cue .............................
Red Knights !
United fans may want to get in the mood by watching FC v Stafford Rangers, Gigg Lane, 3pm kick off, Saturday 7th January.
FC United had a very good Christmas. After beating Ashton United 2-1 at home, they then went to Bradford Park Avenue and crushed the home team 5-2 in a thrilling game before a crowd packed with United fans. In recent weeks the team has started to play some fantastic football and it was great to see them work so hard on a pitch that had to be inspected for water logging only hours before kick-off.
This Saturday we welcome Stafford Rangers to Gigg Lane for the first time. Rangers are one of the grand old ladies of non-league football, having been formed in 1876, but they currently lie in the lower half of the table, FCUM having beaten them early in the season. If we can maintain our recent form, and pick up 3 points on Saturday, then it sets us up for a real chance of making the play-offs.
As ever, the crowd will be a big factor and hopefully the blustery conditions will have died down by the weekend, so we won't have to see flag waving fans disappearing like Mary Poppins over the Main Stand. With the team's current form and the ground at Moston getting the go ahead, 2012 could be a great year for FC United.
Get yourself to that football ground!
I often wonder if Ferguson and the players read this forum? If not,maybe they should!
Let's see what changes you can make this time. Maybe you will drop Rooney again..you never fail to surprise me, Mr Ferguson!
well lets prepare for it because i cant see this united team beating mancity just not good enough simple as dis organised, weak , no creativity to speak off the third defeat is on its way im afraid,
I suggest we go to The COM Stadium and sing our hearts out for the boys.
THEY NEED US!!!!
I hope fergie can cojole a few decent signings before the window closes. On a more serious note if we are subjected to park and giggs in the middle it wont matter who we play upfront or on the wings because the battle will be lost and they wont get the service they deserve.Giggs is a legend though and its sad he hasnt got the legs to run a game the way he used to,, and nani cant seem to beat his man, or cross a ball, and jones is being turned into the utility man and doesnt know where to position himself at times.As for hernandez and berba if they were playing with a world class midfield pairing they would score for fun they are getting no supply and if you fail to feed some one they,ll die. Another thing that is quite disturbing is that we have no threat from set pieces and every time we get a freekick or corner we know its into row z or it doesnt reach any of our players.I also wonder if our training methods are dated because of our injuries problems and our failure to string two passes together,and because no one can retain the ball and finally because we insist on hoofing the ball up field every game. Is it too much to address these problems and sign a few world class players that would improve the team and save the club money in the long run because you dont have to be einstein to realise that if the club declines so do the funds significantly .Why cant fergie see this or will he continue to tow the corporate line and tell us theirs no value in the market.Surely he can see this team is really one of the worst ever and that without investment the glory days are well and truely over and like the scousers we could fade into mid table obscurity .
Think I'm going to be summoning some spirit too, mostly Jack Daniels.
Anything less than 100% and players playing in their correct positions, or it could be another embarrassment.
Will Ferg wake up and smell the coffee if we get beat or will he revert to type and make some excuse about injuries etc. I know what I think
All this talk about us being 3 points better off now than last season...what the hell does that mean, last year our only challengers were Chelsea who practically gifted us the title. This year City are in a far stronger position.
The lack of expenditure on a central midfielder is coming back to haunt Fergie, but won't admit it.
Instead of De Gea we could of had Tiote,Cabaye and Demba Ba for the same money...that's value for money!!! But no, we spend what money we have on players like Bebe!!!!!!
Is that the derby spirit that saw you spanked for six goals? If so, start summoning!
the injury excuse doesnt wash. in effect there only 4 players in the squad injured. city are certainly beatable but there can be no errors in the team selection, formation and we need 11 players performing to their max. unfortunately i just dont think they are being prepared for games in the right way. can any body geniuinely say they think the manager is getting the input and assistance needed by phelan?all the evidence is that we are rudderless in the coaching department. do we have a settled and well drilled formation? do we even know our strongest team?do we play players in the position that maximises their effectiveness?do we have great set plays?are we a tight drilled defensive unit?do we make effective substitutions?are the players fitter than the opposition?whats our injury situation? look at it this way, name a player who played in querioz last year who has improved under phelans watch, or name a player who has replaced one of that team who is superior. more worryingly look at the talented foreign lads development in the last years, anderson,nani,valencia,hernandes ,berbatov,the twins[pique,rossi shipped out] van der saar was almost like a coach in the dressing room and on the pitch his departure has made phelans complete inadequacy apparent to everyone. the manager has made many bold and brave desicions in his time, he needs to make another one. its the biggest issue at the club and adressing it is paramount to success.all other arguments and critisisms are in truth pointless.
Our recent performance against NU was pathetic. I hope the boys will rise up to the challenge of the Bitters. Beat the Berties and we have the perfect confidence booster we so badly need now.
Has Fergie given us our inspirational team talk yet?
Last one worked a treat.
We have a chance if we don`t play players out of position
spirit what like them 11 ghosts from last nite !!!!! i would take them just showing up
stopped reading after this re: Berbatov, "but his lacklustre contribution there makes an equally forceful case for the Bulgarian's omission at the weekend." How can he be blamed for the lack of service?????
Park and Giggs in midfield was criminal. If you have midfielders sitting on the bench, play them!