Keane edge missed in another sad surrender

Lille 1 Man Utd 0

Milenko Acimovic’s 37th-minute winner did not just leave United’s European aspirations hanging by a thread, and bring new owner Malcolm Glazer out into a cold sweat, it also raised serious doubts over Alex Ferguson’s motivational qualities.

In days gone by, United would have responded to the torture of the past seven days by ravaging opponents with skill, speed and spirit.

Yet last night, when they needed it most, all three elements were missing.

Two years, 12 months, even six months ago, the prospect of Ferguson not being allowed to choose the time of his own departure from a club he has served so royally would have been dismissed without a thought.

The likelihood of Glazer sacking Ferguson is still highly unlikely but as every catastrophe, every crumbling defeat, every shambolic performance follows another, the prospect is gaining weight.

Ferguson has faced many moments of potential crisis during his illustrious Old Trafford reign and come out smiling on most occasions.

Never has Ferguson been forced to contend with his side being savaged from within, especially by the man who has been the heartbeat of Old Trafford for well over a decade.

The full extent of Keane’s vicious attack will probably never be known but there were at least five members of Ferguson’s injury-ravaged starting line-up who would have felt the wrath of the Irishman’s tongue had United chief executive David Gill allowed the interview to go on air.

Five thousand visiting fans made their feelings on the matter plain, bellowing Keane’s name throughout the opening minutes and then, tellingly at the end, in support of their captain, who was intending to go public with an assessment of a team many supporters feel is well below the standard expected at Old Trafford.

Alex Ferguson was probably grasping at straws when he blamed a poor pitch at the Stade de France.

He said: “It was a difficult game actually, it was a scrappy affair. The pitch didn’t help either side. It was difficult to get the ball down, it was a poor pitch.”

“We are not in the best form anyway and we must fight through this. No-one will help us in that respect, we must help ourselves, we don’t want to feel sorry for ourselves.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose but we have to regroup.”

With runaway Barclays Premiership leaders Chelsea heading to Old Trafford on Sunday sensing blood, the hordes who made the journey to the French capital watched on hoping for a sign that a brutal kill at the hands of Jose Mourinho’s men could be avoided.

For 38 minutes they at least were able to cheer on a semblance of a team, rather than the disorganised rabble who succumbed to meekly to Boro at the wekend.

Lille were the more convincing attacking force, so when United’s world began to cave in seven minutes from the break it was not that much of a surprise.

The irony came in the knowledge that Wayne Rooney, one man totally exempt from criticism, should be the man who gifted the home side their chance.

A woeful pass rolled beyond the helpless John O’Shea and set Gregory Tafforeau running free down the left.

The Lille skipper’s cross was perfect for Acimovic, whose first touch took him between Wes Brown and Mikael Silvestre and gave him just enough time to blast the French side’s firstgoal of this Champions League campaign to the top corner before Edwin van der Sar could make the block.

Ferguson also admitted he will have to trust his young players to drag United out of their present crisis.

“It is hard to expect young players to show the kind of experience we are missing at the moment,” said Ferguson, who is currently without Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Gabriel Heinze as well as Keane.

“We have to see it through. It is not a problem. We have to trust these young players. I am sure they will be all right.”

“Without question, the fans want to see us win,” said Ferguson.

“They follow us in huge numbers everywhere and it has always been that way throughout my 20 years and I think it always will be.”

Van Nistelrooy was involved in a post-match fracas with burly Lille defender, Efstathios Tavlaridis after the final whistle.

The Dutchman was unhappy at the physical nature of Tavlardis’ marking, although he played the incident down after the game.

“I was frustrated at the time,” he said.

LILLE: Sylva, Chalme, Tavlaridis, Schmitz, Tafforeau, Debuchy, Makoun, Bodmer, Dernis (Gygax 79), Moussilou (Odemwingie 84), Acimovic (Cabaye 76).

MAN UTD: Van der Sar, O’Shea, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Fletcher, Smith, Ronaldo (Rossi 89), Rooney, Richardson (Park 65), van Nistelrooy.

Ref: Markus Merk (Germany).