• Premier League

Ferguson: Liverpool and City defeats hurt

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed his pain at watching Manchester United's humiliating home defeats to rivals Liverpool and Manchester City under David Moyes last season.

Having chosen Moyes to succeed him as United manager in May 2013, Ferguson has broken his silence on the club's fall from grace under the former Everton boss.

United endured successive 3-0 home defeats to Liverpool and City in March last season and Ferguson, present in the Old Trafford directors' box for both, admits he had to keep his frustrations hidden from the cameras.

Sir Alex Ferguson says he had to hide his emotions from the cameras during the defeats to Liverpool and City © Getty Images

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"I got annoyed when we lost to Liverpool last year," Ferguson, who was heckled by disgruntled supporters during the City defeat, told MUTV.

"I didn't enjoy that. I didn't like losing to Liverpool and Manchester City last year, because they are your biggest rivals and the ones you always strive to defeat and are always in our way, particularly Liverpool, of course.

"The way I've always been and I did it as a manager, I'm actually quite stone-faced watching a game.

"I don't try to show any emotions unless we score. I always celebrate a goal, even now as a director I still celebrate a goal, but you're always conscious maybe the cameras are on you and this is happening quite a lot. Obviously the press don't miss an opportunity to focus on me during a game."

Moyes, who admitted last season to speaking to Ferguson and asking for advice and guidance, was sacked the following month and, as ESPN revealed at the time, the Liverpool defeat and Ferguson's reaction to it were significant.

Ferguson has revealed, though, that Louis van Gaal - the man who replaced Moyes - does not rely on him in a similar way.

"There's no ongoing dialogue," Ferguson said. "He comes into my office sometimes after the game, into the lounge, and we have a chat. But it's not a matter of picking up a phone or anything like that. He's a very capable person with a strong mentality.

"He's a strong leader. He knows where I am if he ever did need me, but there has not been any need for him to phone me.

"I've always got on well with Louis. The first occasion was when we played Barcelona in 1998 when we were in the [Champions League] group stages together.

"He was asking me how I dealt with the press and I said I've got a few interesting things about that! He has his own way. Watching his press conferences actually it's quite interesting. He's very, very honest in his press conferences, which is interesting."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd