A BRIGHT SPARK SPEAKS

Neville: 'We WerenÕt Good Enough This Year'

Gary Neville succinctly summed up UnitedÕs premature European exit with defeat to Benfica on Wednesday: consistently below-par performances in Group D cost the Reds their place in the knockout stages.

The devastating 2-1 defeat to Benfica at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday saw United finish bottom of the group and without even the consolation of a Uefa Cup place, which went to third-placed Lille.

But the problems stem back to a campaign that saw United score only three goals and collect five points at home.

"It's not just tonight, but right throughout the campaign we havenÕt been good enough," Neville told Sky Sports. "It just hasnÕt happened for us.

"ThatÕs very much unlike us because we normally do well at home and score lots of goals in the group stages. Qualifying for the knockout stages has been par for the course for us down the years, but unfortunately we havenÕt achieved it this year."

Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson talked of a lack of composure, someone to slow the pace of the game and bring patience to UnitedÕs play. Neville clearly agrees

a"People will criticise us, and rightly so. Our performances haven't been up to the standards we have set ourselves."Gary Neville"It was a dream start in the first 15 minutes," he said. "We looked as if we were completely in control. But we didnÕt react well after their first goal. After that we were all over the place at times.

"We lost our discipline a little bit. ThatÕs disappointing because weÕve been doing very at keeping our shape in the last few weeks butÉ We got it back in the second half and played a lot better. By that point there was a difficult atmosphere to the game Ð their players were going down and wasting time. ItÕs difficult to get the goal you want because theyÕre doing everything possible to hang onto it."

After the first goal United needed to dictate the pace of the game, particularly from midfield. But, such was the desire to recover the lead, that a certain desperation sneaked into the teamÕs play.

However, United were not completely without experience. Alongside Neville, the Reds had Ryan Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand, Edwin van der Sar, Mikael Silvestre, all with vast European experience.

"There was experience out there," Neville said. "We just seemed to lose our way. IÕm extremely disappointed."

"Now we have to stick together now and perform in the league. We've got an opportunity to close the gap on Chelsea."Gary NevilleNeville anticipates a wave of criticism that he thinks will be deserved. But the Bury-born right-back says the team needs to pull together and transfer their focus to the Premiership and catching Chelsea.

"People will criticise us, and rightly so," he said. "Our performances havenÕt been up to the standards we have set ourselves down the years.

"But from the teamÕs perspective we have to stick together now and perform in the league on Sunday against Everton. WeÕve got a big league programme coming up and we have got to do well in those games.

"We have the opportunity in the next week with two league games against Everton and Wigan to close the gap on Chelsea. That is something we have been wanting to do for a long time.

"My responsibilities as captain and as a senior player stay the same," he added. "The senior players in the dressing room have to lift the other players.

"It was a bad result and thereÕs a lot of disappointment, but we have to train Friday and Saturday and then get ready for Everton on Sunday. We have a chance to put a show on for our fans at Old Trafford - that is what they deserve."

Report by Ben Hibbs.

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