Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson felt fatigue played a major part in his side's 1-0 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea at Wembley.
Didier Drogba snatched the win four minutes from the end of extra time in a forgettable encounter.
'There was nothing between the two teams - neither deserved to lose or win and it is disappointing we have lost,' he said.
'The pitch was slow and that didn't help but from our point so view I think we were tired in two or three positions, which didn't help us.
'What the players have been through in the last few months (their Premiership title victory) has been exceptional and credit for that but we couldn't cross the line today.
'Maybe the number of games they play eventually gets to them.'
The one moment of controversy came in the first half of extra time when Ryan Giggs slid in to meet Wayne Rooney's cross but failed to get decent contact on the ball, deflecting it into the body of Petr Cech before the Wales winger's momentum took him crashing into the Chelsea goalkeeper who appeared to carry the ball over the line.
Ferguson felt Giggs should have had a penalty for Michael Essien's challenge on the winger and blamed referee Steve Bennett for not spotting it.
'It is a penalty kick. The goalkeeper has spilled it behind the line - it would have been a difficult one for the linesman to call but the referee should have been in a better position,' he told Sky Sports.
'To lose the game and see a replay of that is harsh to say the least. It is a clear penalty and the referee must be in a better position to see that.'
allentyb
hope that FA cup will save his job
club18
sore loser.. so typical
used
bullsh!t then why the hell did he put out a second string side against west ham???
Slipshade
The time in which the goal went in wasn't that surprising... Man Utd always prone to lapses in concentration in the dying minutes.
stellazio
Originally posted by used:
bullsh!t then why the hell did he put out a second string side against west ham???
and against chelsea too.
X-men
sorry but I think this is not a valid excuse.
Both team were out of the Champions League at the same stage... both played the last EPL at the same time...
if he think the players are tired... the should rest them on the last day of EPL match.
Anyway fergie.. its over.
a-Lost-9uY
very common xcuse i mz say
ronaldog
-i apologise for my irrespectful comments-
iceFatboy
whatever, for me, the better team walked away with the cup..