Chances were few and far between on a tense night, but with memories still fresh from last season’s dramatic last-minute defeats the Manager declared himself satisfied with an outcome that secures fourth place in the table.
He said, “I thought we played well in what was a difficult game. We did not have many chances to score, and it was the same for United. A derby is always going to be a very difficult match.
“A point is better than last year! Maybe we played better last season, but we lost. This time it was not a fantastic game but in the end it is a good point. We suffered in the last three minutes, but only because of what happened last time.
“I am not disappointed with the result, but I can understand if some supporters are angry but if they think back to what happened last year, it’s a good result. In the end, this will be a good result.
“We started very well, played football and kept the ball well, but this is against United and we had to be at our best to keep our concentration. We did not concede any chances and I am pleased with that. You always want to win, but sometimes if you can’t win, you must not lose.”
The Blues were forced to do without the sparky presence of Mario Balotelli, and in the middle of a busy week the Manager thought the Italian would have given the game a lift.
“We missed Mario, and they probably missed Wayne Rooney for similar reasons. When you play every three days, it’s difficult because some players will be tired. That’s normal, players cannot play at 100% when playing that often.
“I thought we played well in what was a difficult game. We did not have many chances to score, and it was the same for United. A derby is always going to be a very difficult match.”
