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Published: Monday 17 Nov 2008
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Stoke defender pays tribute to United after 5-0 defeat

DANNY Higginbotham roundly dismissed any fears of lightning striking twice after being told Stoke were beaten 5-0 at Old Trafford when they were last relegated from the top flight 23 years ago.

Higginbotham defiantly faced the music after he and his colleagues crashed to their worst defeat of the season following the full force of United’s fury.

“I don’t believe in omens and all that.” he said after hearing of that previous 5-0 loss at Old Trafford back in the mid-1980s

“I believe you make your own luck and create your own destiny. We take confidence from the games we have played previously and we know they are different games.

“They (United) will be Premier League champions again and possibly European champions again as well, while we have to get our heads up and ready for the next game.

“There’s no danger of these players at Stoke not doing that. We have to look at the bigger picture and just accept we have been comprehensively beaten by a world-class team and put that behind us as quickly as possible.

“The manager and his staff will not allow anyone’s heads to drop anyway. The most important thing for me is always the next game and we have to put this one to bed.”

Higginbotham – a former United player and still a fan – said there was no option other than to acknowledge the gulf in class on a day when Stoke were ruthlessly outclassed in every department.

“Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say they were exceptional,” he added. “I have been fortunate enough to play here with different results, but this is what it’s all about in the Premier League ... to test yourself against great teams like this.

“They ooze class and they are not Premier League and European champions for nothing. I think they will win the league again – and maybe the Champions’ League as well.”

He couldn’t help but admire Cristiano Ronaldo’s considerable influence on affairs as the Portuguese star buried two free-kicks to surge pass the century mark in a United shirt.

“From past experience we know he’s a class act,” said Higginbotham. “He stayed out of my way for the large majority of the game, but you have to say he’s world class at the minute.”

Ronaldo struck at the beginning and end of the afternoon, while goals number two and three either side of the break were also pivotal in deciding the final outcome.

“Conceding the early goal was always going to make it difficult – and then just before half-time just as we were starting to get to grips,” Higginbotham continued.

“We spoke at half-time about the importance of keeping our shape and how the next goal was going to be decisive, and they got it.

“That was as good as game over, but we kept going and all credit to the lads for that.

“Our fans were absolutely brilliant. It was great for them to come here and I think they appreciate what we are trying to do. They also kept going right to the very end.”
The very bitter end.