"When you play against Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, you need it all to go your own way. You need to be on top of your game, or you are going to get hurt," Curbishley said. Charlton were writhing in agony yesterday.
Early on they scampered and yapped with the enthusiasm of puppies, but being dogged was never going to be enough. Rio Ferdinand, the subject of abuse from the visiting team’s end for his failure to sign a new deal, got away with a slack performance.
Home matches against United are meant to be pleasure for smaller clubs such as Charlton. This, though, was simply depressing, a grim termination of the southeast London club’s Uefa Cup hopes. Before kick-off, the prospect of Charlton in Europe was faint; after the manner of their defeat, the notion seemed faintly ridiculous. Last year’s seventh-place finish will not be repeated and Charlton have won only once in their past 12 league games.
For United, this was an enjoyable nod back to their own illustrious recent history, the days when mid-table fodder would be routinely steamrollered. "We’ll keep doing what we’re doing and take this form into the (FA Cup) Final," Ferguson said.