Berbatov earns Fergie praise

Sir Alex Ferguson heaped praise onto striker Dimitar Berbatov, whose hat-trick against Birmingham took his season tally to 17 for the season.

Ferguson’s men ran rampant at Old Trafford to post a 5-0 win, with Ryan Giggs and Nani adding to Berbatov’s treble.

And Ferguson said the Bulgarian’s game had been outstanding.

“It was marvellous,” Ferguson said. “He could have scored more and we were a bit wasteful at times with our finishing, but you can’t complain at that performance.”

“I think it helps when you score an early goal. When we scored they had to open up and I think we capitalised on that.”

The Scot also had kind words for Wayne Rooney who, despite not getting on the scoresheet, linked up well with Berbatov to turn supplier.

“The third goal was very, very exciting with the interchange between Berba and Rooney. It was right at half-time and it killed the match,” Ferguson said.

“Wayne showed fantastic control in the fourth goal to bring the ball from Edwin (van der Sar) out of the clouds.”

“The control of Rooney and setting up Ryan to square the ball for Berba – it was a fantastic goal.”

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish bemoaned some of his side’s defending in the encounter, and said his senior players were determined to make amends.

“You can’t come here and lose an early goal like we did. To lose a goal like that in the first minute was criminal,” McLeish said.

“I thought there was bit of apprehension. Coming to places like this is a lot about belief as much as anything and I thought we lacked that a little bit.”

“It was a gift the second goal as well and was verging on the amateur.”

“You have to say we shot ourselves in the foot.”

“The feedback I’ve got from some of the senior players in the dressing room is that they are more angry than anything else. We have got to get the team right and the tactics right for the coming games.”