Players owe Fergie for Derby disaster, says Scholes
At the press conference to preview tonight's Champions League encounter with Bayer Leverkusen, Ferguson refused point blank to discuss the 3-1 defeat by Manchester City.
Scholes, one of the few players to emerge with any credit from the shambolic display, at least skirted round the issue as he expressed disappointment at the outcome.
"We owe him a bit back because Saturday was disappointing," said the 27-year-old England international. "It's the same as every game. We want to play well and keep our places in the team; if you don't, you will be out."
On that basis, a number of highly-paid stars should be sweating as Ferguson ponders the team which will set out to gain the single point required to top Group F.
However, as the manager admitted, with a squad short on numbers, most will survive a cull with maybe just a single change to accommodate the return of stand-in skipper David Beckham.
Saturday's goalscorer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the man most likely to make way for the England captain but the clamour is growing for Ferguson to ditch his tactic of using Ruud van Nistelrooy as a single striker, which would put Phil Neville's place under threat.
Other than that, the only other possible switch would be the removal of veteran Frenchman Laurent Blanc for John O'Shea, who blotted his copybook with a dismal attempt to convert Solskjaer's last-minute cross at the weekend, bobbling a shot wide from barely two yards out.
Ironically, United's best performances over the past two seasons have come on the European stage, including the 2-1 win over Leverkusen in September. It is a situation even Ferguson acknowledges, inadvertently giving an insight into the reason's behind his team's inability to mount a sustained challenge to either Liverpool or Arsenal.
"There is a great focus on the European games. It is a tremendous challenge the biggest challenge.
"It is more tactical and other teams are more aware of your strengths and weaknesses. The best players in Europe are playing in the Champions League and players playing against the best want to be the best.
"Our players see it as a challenge and have reserved their best performances for it.
"We have to try and get back to winning ways. We are already through but it would be nice to win the group."
There is some element of revenge for the home-side, given Leverkusen dumped them out of the competition at the semi-final stage last term.
However, the Germans have left their best-known players at home, with Lucio, Oliver Neuville and Bernd Schneider all rested and Yildiray Basturk serving a one-match ban.
"He's left a full team behind but with all the players we have injured at the moment, we don't have that kind of luxury," admitted Ferguson.
"I have Saturday's squad, plus David Beckham, Daniel Nardiello and Luke Chadwick, so we only have 18 players available.
"It is a chance for us to top the group, which would keep us away from most of the form teams in the competition."
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