Sharper United will bounce back, says Vidic

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic insists they will swiftly move on from their defeat at Everton but stressed the side will have to be sharper in front of goal.

United failed to create any clear-cut chances at Goodison Park on Monday and even the arrival of £24 million (€30m) signing Robin van Persie for the final 22 minutes failed to help them make a breakthrough.

Manager Alex Ferguson was unhappy with their lack of a cutting edge and their failure to get van Persie in the game — and Vidic agreed.

“We had some possession but we weren’t clinical,” the Serbia international said: “When you go away from home, you expect the home side to have some chances but we need to be more clinical.

“It wasn’t a great game but we’re already looking forward to the next one.”

Vidic said they expected a tough test from Everton, who pegged them back to a 4-4 draw in April to damage United’s title aspirations, but failed to combat the Toffees’ strengths.

“We knew it would be a hard game,” he added. “They did what they’re best at — playing long balls and focusing on set-pieces. They had a few chances and in the end deserved to score but we’re never happy when we concede from a set-piece.”

Vidic was the key player in a patched-up back four which saw midfielder Michael Carrick playing alongside him in the centre and winger Antonio Valencia at right-back.

Ferguson has said he does not expect Jonny Evans to return for a fortnight while Rio Ferdinand, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are also sidelined with injury, although left-back Alexander Buttner joined from Vitesse Arnhem on a five-year contract yesterday.

But Vidic said they could not attribute their defeat to a patched up back line.

“When you come to places like Everton who will play long balls into the box you need big, strong defenders, but we won’t use injuries as an excuse,” he said.

“I thought the players who came in gave their best and hopefully we’ll have a couple of defenders ready for the next game.

“I thought we played some good football but were not clinical and when you are 1-0 down it is difficult to come back against a side like Everton.”

Marouane Fellaini was the architect of United’s downfall at Goodison, heading the second-half winner and generally causing mayhem in the visitors’ back line.

Fellaini’s team-mate Phil Jagielka admits the Belgium midfielder is “frustrating as hell” for defenders when he is in the mood.

Jagielka is well aware of the 6ft 3ins Fellaini’s talents, having faced him in training, but accepts it is a different prospect handling him in a competitive match.

“It’s a little bit different in training as you can kick him, pinch him and pull his hair and get away with it but when he is switched on like he was, it is nearly impossible to mark him,” said the centre-back.”

With the departure of Tim Cahill over the summer, manager David Moyes has more freedom to deploy Fellaini further up the pitch in an advanced role behind a lone striker, most likely to be Nikica Jelavic this season.

It is an option the Scot has employed before but Jagielka believes with the players he now has around him — Steven Pienaar rejoined in the summer and Jelavic is starting his first full season — Fellaini can be much more of a threat.