NO DOUBT ! UNITED WERE NOT AT THEIR BEST

COULD HAVE MANAGED AN UPSET !

Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard accepted his side were below par against Crawley Town on Saturday.

United were expected to steamroll over an opposition that plays in the Blue Square Bet Premier division of the Football Conference, but just eked through via a solitary goal from Wes Brown to advance to the last-eight of the FA Cup.

Crawley were distinctly unlucky not to leave Old Trafford with at least a draw and Sir Alex Ferguson admitted as much in his post-match press conference. Lindegaard echoed his manager's views.

The goalkeeper, who joined United from Norwegian club Aalesund, told MUTV: "Crawley did a great job.

"It's a cup match and I've heard from the manager in the last few days that in the FA Cup anything can happen. This match was evidence of that. With a bit more luck, Crawley could have scored.

"In an FA Cup match with the score at 1-0, the end of the game is bound to be hectic. But we dealt with it and we are happy with the win, even though it wasn't pretty. We just have to forget this match and move on.

"We didn't do well and we should get the level much higher for the rest of the season. This wasn't good enough."

The Dane however, seemed to be satisfied with his own performance on his Old Trafford debut.

"It felt very good," he said.

"You ask yourself how you will do, and I felt good. I felt confident. I felt I was in the right mindset. So it was a good experience. It was the same against Southampton, it's a big match.

"It may be against a lower division team but it gives you a taste for more. I'm not here to pick my nose. I'm here because I want to play."

Lindegaard might well get more chances next season given that incumbent Edwin van der Sar has announced his intention to retire at the end of the season.

However, given the number of keepers United have been linked with - including Schalke's Manuel Neuer and Atletico Madrid's David da Gea - Lindegaard might well face stiff competition for the top job.