Schmeichel: Don't let Cup loss overshadow progress

Veteran goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel does not believe Manchester City’s dismal FA Cup demise should overshadow the progress made at Maine Road this season.

Schmeichel was one of the few City players to escape the wrath of manager Kevin Keegan yesterday after an encounter with Liverpool which promised much but petered out into a woeful 1-0 home defeat.

City managed just a single shot on target through Anfield old boy Nicolas Anelka and although the visitors were not much better, Danny Murphy’s second-half penalty proved enough to seal a fourth-round trip to Crystal Palace.

For a side who had suffered only one defeat in seven games and are optimistically talking of a European place next season it was a dreadful display, a throwback to similar performances against Aston Villa, Southampton and Charlton earlier in the campaign.

Schmeichel, three times a winner of the FA Cup in his Manchester United days, admitted it was poor fare for a near 29,000 crowd and the millions watching on television at home.

But the Dane claimed the shattering disappointment which echoed around the home dressing room was evidence in itself of the increased expectations this season’s performances have brought.

“In a way, the disappointment we feel now is a positive thing,” said the 39-year-old.

“I know we have had some bad results this season but nobody should forget we are a promoted team and the Premiership is a very difficult place to be.

“There has only been one season where none of the promoted sides have been relegated, so just staying up would be a big achievement for us.

“In that sense we are on the right track – in fact we are doing really well.

“Nobody left the dressing room happy with their performance but we have 16 games remaining in the league and there is still tremendous confidence in the dressing room.”

City have the chance to atone for the defeat when they entertain resurgent Leeds at Maine Road on Saturday.

However, Keegan looks set to be without central defender Richard Dunne, who will not train this week after being forced out of yesterday’s clash with a virus.

Defensive partner Steve Howey was also missing with an Achilles injury yesterday, although it was City’s offensive problems rather than their efforts at the back which largely contributed to their drab performance.

“You can always lose to Liverpool but they only had one chance, which was a penalty, and we only got one as well,” said Schmeichel.

“When you are at home that isn’t good enough. I don’t think we gave either set of supporters anything.”

It was certainly not the kind of FA Cup send-off the home fans would have wanted for a Maine Road ground they will leave for the impressive City of Manchester Stadium in the summer.

Keegan explained after the match that he had tried to emphasise the importance of the FA Cup to his foreign players, ruefully adding: “I might as well have saved my breath.”

Schmeichel agreed with the sentiments, particularly the idea that the end of a Maine Road era should be enough to spark the team into life.

“You can’t expect players who have been brought in from all over the world to have the same kind of feeling about Maine Road as the true supporters,” he said.

“The players respect what people say but it’s not something you can put in front of them and expect them to perform better because of it. They want to win every game regardless of the outside pressures.”