London: The one scrap of consolation for under-fire Alex Ferguson before Manchester United's Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday is that Jose Mourinho's side also lost in Europe in midweek.
Both managers are looking for a vast improvement from their players in a match United must win to keep runaway leaders Chelsea in sight in the race for the English championship.
Chelsea are 13 points clear of United, who are in seventh place and the champions are nine points ahead of surprise second placed side Wigan Athletic.
Ferguson could be forgiven for thinking the Champions League is the more realistic ambition for United, although Wednesday's 1-0 defeat by Lille in Paris has left them in a fight to reach the last 16.
Now, though, Ferguson needs to quickly motivate a group of young players harshly criticised by team captain Roy Keane if United are not to go another season without winning a trophy.
Their only victory in the last five games was against fourth-division Barnet in the League Cup.
They lost 4-1 at Middlesbrough in the Premier League last weekend.
"At the moment we are missing a lot of experienced players," Ferguson said after the Lille match in Paris.
Ferguson also needs to placate irate United fans.
"Our supporters had a hostile reaction towards us in the Stade de France stands and that's new in the history of Manchester United," he was quoted as saying in the French sports daily L'Equipe.
Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy said that the club has always been about good passing football, possession and creating lots of chances.
These are basic things at Manchester United and the team needs to get back to that.
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