Manchester United manager embarrassed despite victory

Sir Alex Ferguson insisted he was embarrassed by Manchester United's failings in front of goal despite his side's 4-3 victory over Hull City.

The United manager had been highly critical of the number of chances his strikers missed during a routine victory over West Ham and, after seeing his side almost throw away a 4-1 lead against Hull on Saturday, Ferguson was again angry at United's failure to kill off the game.

Cristiano Ronaldo took his United tally to 99 goals after adding to his West Ham double with two more strikes while Michael Carrick and Nemanja Vidic completed the home side's haul.

But what should have been a second half stroll turned into an anxious wait for the final whistle for the reigning champions after Bernard Mendy and Geovanni added to Daniel Cousin's first half header as the visitors fought back bravely.

“It was incredible. We should have won by ten and we ended up scrambling a victory,” Ferguson said.

“The annoying thing is that we've not taken our chances, we should have scored ten or eleven there. We had clear chances. But you don't put them away and then you are left embarrassed.

“The general feeling is a bit low because we should have won the game by more.”

Ferguson had claimed last week that Ronaldo can match his 42-goal return of last season despite missing the start of the season with an ankle injury and the Portugese winger's brace took his total to seven, including six in six league appearances.

“His goals were fantastic. He could have scored four or five. And I don't know how many chances Dimitar Berbatov made,” Ferguson said.

“Credit to Ronaldo, he's got two more goals and there was some fantastic football. On the plus side the thing that we can take out of today is that we are creating some good chances and playing some great stuff at times, but we just got ourselves in an embarrassing situation.”

Hull have made a habit of upsetting bigger names away from home in their first season in the top-flight with wins at Arsenal, Spurs and Newcastle already under their belts.

Their early-season run has already accumulated 20 points and Phil Brown's side came into this game two points ahead of United.

United's win reversed that position but Brown drew pride from the fact Hull became the first team since Chelsea three years ago to score three at Old Trafford and believes this display should increase his players belief they can compete at the higher level.

“We haven't got anything from the game which is the disappointment of it all, but what we did get from the game is pride,” he said. “I think we restored it in the second half.

“I was disappointed with the players in the first half because I think we are capable of playing better.

“I've got more belief in them than they have and if they started believing in themselves the way I do, that they are good players and can compete at this level, then hopefully we'll start showing it on a more regular basis.”

“If the players keep believing what I am telling them then who knows how far we can take this thing. And that's a collective thing, not an individual thing.

“As far as I'm concerned I believe these players are capable of competing at this level and hopefully come the end of the season I'll have been proved right.”