Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson knows they let down their fans with derby defeat to Manchester City.

In his programme notes ahead of Wednesday's encounter with Romanian minnows Otelul Galati, Ferguson attempted to put the defeat into some context.

But he accepts the pain is still acute.

"Tonight I am looking for a top performance as we strive to redeem ourselves after the derby debacle of the last home game," he told United Review.

"It's painful even to think about it but I don't want the players to forget it totally because it must serve as a reminder of the necessity of keeping our concentration levels high and thinking all the time.

"The score against us only reached such high proportions because of our own stupidity.

"The game was a lost cause when City went three up; a man down following the dismissal of Jonny Evans, we should have contained the game.

"Instead, we continued, in our usual cavalier way to bomb into attack.

"You have to be sensible though and we left hardly anyone minding the shop, allowing City to pick us off with ease.

"It was a recipe for disaster. City just didn't have to work for their last three goals, but the fact is we were left with an embarrassing scoreline, the butt of many a joke I know."