United have 'mountain to climb' - Fergie

Alex Ferguson claimed Manchester United’s goalless draw against 10-men Crystal Palace has left them with a mountain to climb in their race to catch Chelsea at the top of the Barclays Premiership.

Palace had Vassilis Lakis sent off midway through the second half but United failed to break down their stubborn resistance despite intense pressure in the final 10 minutes.

The result leaves United five points adrift of leaders Chelsea and Ferguson knows time is running out if they are to retain any hope of catching the Londoners before the end of the campaign.

Ferguson admitted: “It is a bad result for us. When you are going for the Premiership you need to win these games and we haven’t done that today. We have given ourselves a real mountain to climb.

“We have given a great advantage to Chelsea. But I am pleased with the commitment of the team. They worked their socks off in the second half and should have won it.

“I thought the first 25 minutes was very lively on a tough pitch. We had one chance in the first half but no settled play really.

“Once I put Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo on, then the game turned in our favour and from that moment on we really dominated. We had some chances and penalty claims but at the end of the day Palace have dug in and got a point.

“You have to expect that teams at the bottom of the league are going to fight. They are going to fight for their lives and we saw that today.

“They made it difficult for us. Normally we can find away to get through that and when Scholes and Ronaldo came on the opportunities increased.

“I don’t think the sending-off was that important because they had all the players back in their box anyway. It’s hard to break teams down when they are all in the box. We are a bit disappointed we didn’t.”

United were frustrated all afternoon by a hard-working performance from a Palace side reduced to 10 men when Lakis was red-carded for a second bookable office midway through the second half.

Palace boss Iain Dowie was delighted with his side’s gutsy performance even though Southampton’s victory at Spurs has left them just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Dowie said: “It as a big performance against the best attacking side in the division and to keep a clean sheet is very pleasing.

“They have got wonderful talent and in the end they had all their big hitters out. I don’t think they created a plethora of chances and I don’t think we were hanging on.

“We had a few hairy moments late on but they have got players who can hurt you. In the end resolution, bravery and people prepared to put their bodies in the way, won the day.

“We have got nine games left and I have got great belief in these lads. That’s all you can ask in the end. You don’t have to question these lads because they all give you their utmost.

“We’ve done as much as we can today. It was a big result for Southampton but we are two points ahead and we are cracking on.”

United’s players claimed they should have had a penalty in the final moments and surrounded referee Mark Clattenburg as he left the field.

But Dowie added: “I think they were talking about handball but I don’t think there was any intent.”