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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the form of Antonio Valencia and believes the Ecuadorian gives his side a "big chance" of retaining the Premier League title.
United moved three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table following a 1-0 win over Fulham on Monday night.
Valencia continued his impressive form from the 5-0 win over Wolves, and Ferguson is adamant the "underrated" winger will be key in United’s title run-in.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Ferguson said: “He [Valencia] and Jonny Evans were our best players, and Rafael da Silva did well also.
“I think that Valencia has got exceptional talent and people underrate him. We don’t, that is why we bought him and now he is back and in that form it gives us a big chance.”
Antonio Valencia is 7/1 to score the opening goal in Manchester United's Premier Leage clash with Blackburn on Sunday.
Ferguson was relieved United were able to get the three points following Wayne Rooney's first-half strike but admits his side needed to kill the game off after the interval.
He continued: “It was a result for us tonight. Three points was what we were after.
“I thought for an hour we did very well. Our passing was quick, we made some decent chances but you have to give credit to Fulham.
“That was a really determined defensive performance from them. The problem when you play teams who sit in their half the whole game is they always have some [energy] left, and they had more left than we had in the last 15 minutes.
“Tiredness came into our game. They capitalised on that and created counter-attacks through it and I think that was the really disappointing thing from us, we didn’t finish them off and we should’ve.
“I think our form was good until they started to venture forward we got caught on the break a couple of times and a little bit of tiredness was coming in.
“We put a lot into our game tonight, I was pleased at that part, but we never finished them off. It is a good position [clear by three points at the top of the league] to be in, but it is not decisive.”
In the closing minutes, Fulham had strong claims for a penalty turned down as Danny Murphy went tumbling in the area after a trip by Michael Carrick.
“I think they have a claim,” he said. “No doubt. I think referee has been a bit lenient when we had a claim for a penalty kick for a clear handball.
“Maybe it was a little close to the tackler but it was a claim and Patrice Evra thought it was a stonewall claim.
“He’s handled the ball and gone into the penalty box and denied us an opportunity, so maybe the referee is thinking about that, but Michael Carrick has caught Danny Murphy’s heel as it has come back.
“I think we deserved it because we have dominated the game until that last 15 minutes.”
Late on, Rio Ferdinand was forced off with an injury, while David de Gea appeared to pick up a knock on his wrist. But Ferguson insists both should recover quickly.
“David is okay, but Rio has a bit of stiffness,” he told. “Time and time again he gets a stiffness in his back and we brought Chris Smalling on.
“If he’d have played it out he would’ve managed it okay, but he may not have been available for a couple of weeks so I feel we have done the right think at the right time.”
United now face a trip to Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, and despite being three points off the relegation places, Ferguson insists his side are in for a difficult match.
“They are all challenges now,” Ferguson said. “That was a great indication for us. It was a great game for us tonight because that is what it will be like for the rest of the season.
“Teams are going to be battling, fighting to survive and not be a lamb to the slaughter to Manchester United. They don’t want to be seen to be laying down in any way and Fulham have put in a massive effort tonight.
“They’re a very experienced team of course but when a team sits in like that tonight they are very difficult to break down, it doesn’t matter if they are eleven joiners or eleven footballers, it’s difficult to break down.
“We didn’t do enough to see the game off and we nearly paid the penalty.”
United moved three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table following a 1-0 win over Fulham on Monday night.
Valencia continued his impressive form from the 5-0 win over Wolves, and Ferguson is adamant the "underrated" winger will be key in United’s title run-in.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Ferguson said: “He [Valencia] and Jonny Evans were our best players, and Rafael da Silva did well also.
“I think that Valencia has got exceptional talent and people underrate him. We don’t, that is why we bought him and now he is back and in that form it gives us a big chance.”
Antonio Valencia is 7/1 to score the opening goal in Manchester United's Premier Leage clash with Blackburn on Sunday.
Ferguson was relieved United were able to get the three points following Wayne Rooney's first-half strike but admits his side needed to kill the game off after the interval.
He continued: “It was a result for us tonight. Three points was what we were after.
“I thought for an hour we did very well. Our passing was quick, we made some decent chances but you have to give credit to Fulham.
“That was a really determined defensive performance from them. The problem when you play teams who sit in their half the whole game is they always have some [energy] left, and they had more left than we had in the last 15 minutes.
“Tiredness came into our game. They capitalised on that and created counter-attacks through it and I think that was the really disappointing thing from us, we didn’t finish them off and we should’ve.
“I think our form was good until they started to venture forward we got caught on the break a couple of times and a little bit of tiredness was coming in.
“We put a lot into our game tonight, I was pleased at that part, but we never finished them off. It is a good position [clear by three points at the top of the league] to be in, but it is not decisive.”
In the closing minutes, Fulham had strong claims for a penalty turned down as Danny Murphy went tumbling in the area after a trip by Michael Carrick.
“I think they have a claim,” he said. “No doubt. I think referee has been a bit lenient when we had a claim for a penalty kick for a clear handball.
“Maybe it was a little close to the tackler but it was a claim and Patrice Evra thought it was a stonewall claim.
“He’s handled the ball and gone into the penalty box and denied us an opportunity, so maybe the referee is thinking about that, but Michael Carrick has caught Danny Murphy’s heel as it has come back.
“I think we deserved it because we have dominated the game until that last 15 minutes.”
Late on, Rio Ferdinand was forced off with an injury, while David de Gea appeared to pick up a knock on his wrist. But Ferguson insists both should recover quickly.
“David is okay, but Rio has a bit of stiffness,” he told. “Time and time again he gets a stiffness in his back and we brought Chris Smalling on.
“If he’d have played it out he would’ve managed it okay, but he may not have been available for a couple of weeks so I feel we have done the right think at the right time.”
United now face a trip to Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, and despite being three points off the relegation places, Ferguson insists his side are in for a difficult match.
“They are all challenges now,” Ferguson said. “That was a great indication for us. It was a great game for us tonight because that is what it will be like for the rest of the season.
“Teams are going to be battling, fighting to survive and not be a lamb to the slaughter to Manchester United. They don’t want to be seen to be laying down in any way and Fulham have put in a massive effort tonight.
“They’re a very experienced team of course but when a team sits in like that tonight they are very difficult to break down, it doesn’t matter if they are eleven joiners or eleven footballers, it’s difficult to break down.
“We didn’t do enough to see the game off and we nearly paid the penalty.”
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