Sir Alex Ferguson is delighted with his Manchester United players' response since their derby drubbing.

A 6-1 home derby defeat to Manchester City was a low point - along with early exits from the Champions League and Carling Cup.

Yet Ferguson has been thrilled with the way his squad have defied a crippling injury list to bounce back from that.

He said: "We've lost three games this season. The ones we lost were very difficult for a club like United to handle.

"But after the 6-1 defeat by City, we recovered. Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup, we recovered. Basel, we recovered.

"That tells you something about his team. The confidence and trust in each other comes through.

"I said a few weeks ago someone is going to suffer. That's what's happened."