Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic admits the critics earlier this season spurred them on.
He cites the tough appraisals as the fuel that fired the bid for a record-breaking 19th title and a place at Wembley in the Champions League final against Barcelona.
"Complements are not always good for you. Criticism can help a team," Vidic told the Manchester Evening News.
"Back in early season there were people who were always trying to compare this team to other United teams. They were saying that we didn't have the individuals like we used to and we were not as good.
"But you look at the names in this team and you think 'how could they say that?' I couldn't agree with all that was going on then.
"We have never been focused on what people have been saying about us but you can still get benefits from it. It can be a positive.
"Sometimes criticism can help a side. It can drag you forward. You have to work harder to prove to your critics that anything they are saying is not true. That it is different to their opinions.
"It pushes you to work harder. If you are getting complements then that can have the opposite effect. It can relax you. You start believing what people are saying about you and you are not on top of your game. We have become better as a result of all the words that were said about us. We always had enormous belief and we've worked hard together defensively and in attack. It is all done as a team.
"If we win the title we will have proved to everyone that we are a very good team. We are nearly there now to prove them wrong."
