Butt Speaks Regarding 'Nightmare Week'

By Chris O'Brien
March 17 2004

Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has spoken out on the clubs 'nightmare week' which saw the Red Devils crash out of Europe and lose to arch-rivals Manchester City. The England international knows supporters are hurt, but knows the club must move on from the two appalling results.

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Butt Speaks Regarding 'Nightmare Week'

Nicky Butt has revealed how the past week has been one of the worst in his Manchester United career, with United going out of Europe and losing to arch-rivals City at the City of Manchester Stadium to all but end the title ambitions of the Red Devils.

The United midfielder, who looked set to leave the club after handing in a transfer request in January, was on the losing side in the Manchester derby for the first time on Sunday and knows the defeat was one that will really hurt supporters. However, Butt knows United must put the defeat against City and the European exit at the hands of Porto behind them if they are to lift any silverware at the end of the season.

"It's the first time I have been on the losing side in a derby game and it is something you don't want to experience again, as well as being a United fan it's one of those things which is horrible to live with but somehow we have got to move on." said Butt.

"It definitely hurts. It's been horrible since it happened but the club is big enough to move on from it. Obviously the fans are going to be in for it for a long, long, time like they were the last time they beat us, but we have to get on with it and put it behind us.

"It's a position the players don't want to be in but we haven't played well all season really. We got knocked out of Europe then to top it off we got beat by our local rivals which is not nice at all so it was a nightmare, a truly terrible week."

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