Everton slip cost us - Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson will look back on the mad two minutes when Manchester United threw away a two-goal lead against Everton as the moment the title was lost if his side do not snatch the Barclays Premier League trophy from Manchester City's grasp.

Had United held onto their 4-2 lead over the Merseysiders a fortnight ago, they would have gone into Monday's Manchester derby five points clear of City, providing an adequate buffer against the defeat they eventually suffered.

Now they trail on goal difference, and Ferguson said: "The Everton game was a killer for us. It was a ridiculous performance from us in the last 10 minutes of a match. We were absolutely careless."

He added: "It's all right saying that in the history of our club we tend to attack all the time, but that was a stupid performance and it's put us on the back foot.

"We'll have to accept that if we lose the league it was the Everton game that did it - absolutely no doubt about that."