Ferguson won't blame Carroll

Alex Ferguson refused to make goalkeeper Roy Carroll the scapegoat for defeat by AC Milan and insisted Manchester United have already proved what a threat they can be in Italy.

United will go to the awe-inspiring San Siro stadium in a fortnight trailing 1-0 after Carroll fumbled Clarence Seedorf’s shot and Hernán Crespo fired home the loose ball.

Ferguson said: “Seedorf should have been closed down. We directed him into the middle of the park and should have closed that area down and forced him out to the side.

“After that no-one closed him down and he has got a free shot.”

Ferguson said United should take encouragement from the match against Juventus in Turin in 1999 which they won 3-2 after being 2-0 down, en route to winning the Champions League.

“It will be a difficult game for us but no more difficult than when we went to Juventus,” said Ferguson.