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Ferguson delighted with Tevez performance

30/08/2008

Alex Ferguson praised the performance of Carols Tevez despite Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to Zenit St Petersburg in the European Super Cup.

The Argentinean led the line with Wayne Rooney playing just behind the striker and Ferguson was pleased with his determination and team play.

He said: "I thought Tevez was the outstanding player on the pitch, I thought he was fantastic, our best player."

The Scot admitted the English champions had not been at their best but felt they had done enough to have got a better result from the match.

However, his side may have left it a little late, creating some of their more fluent play only after they were two goals behind.

"I thought we had the best chances throughout the match," added Ferguson.

"There was one in the first half for Wayne Rooney, and some in the second half when we were 2-0 down. That was when we played probably our best football."

Late in the game Paul Scholes was dismissed when he picked up a second yellow card for a deliberate handball. He will now miss United's first Champions League match this season against Villareal.

Ferguson felt the midfielder had not really meant to do it but was unconcerned about his absence for the match against the Spanish side.

He said: "It was maybe an instinctive thing, it's a bit unfortunate."

Ferguson felt that by comparison to some of the tackles made during the game Scholes had been unlucky to get sent off.