Fletcher feels for United fans taking stick from gloating City supporters at work

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher feels for fans who will be suffering a barrage of abuse at work following the 6-1 drubbing to rivals City on Sunday.

It was United's worst home defeat since 1955 as the noisy neighbours for the Etihad Stadium took advantage of the extra man after Jonny Evans' dismissal early in the second-half.

Victory over Everton at Goodison Park next Saturday can go some way to rectifying the damage done, but United fans will have to swallow a huge amount of stick from City supporters.

Humble pie: Fletcher has shown support with United fans for the defeat

Fletcher said: 'We realise how much this result has hurt the fans and how they’ll go into work on Monday and get a lot of stick, but the players are hurting just as much. We live in the city too and we’re going to have to deal with it as well.

'No-one wants to lose by the margin we did today, but you’ve always got to look at positives and say you can lose by that score or lose 1-0 and it’s still the same amount of points (to lose).

'I said to the lads in the dressing room afterwards that we need to remember how it feels to lose a game like this, but to remember that no medals are handed out now.

'There's still a long way to go in the season. It’s a bad result, but by no means is the league over. We’ve got to respond and win our next game.'

Blue moon rising: City fans will be sure to taunt United rivals at work

Fletcher believes Evans' sending-off just after the break was the game's turning point, but concedes United's decision to continue chasing the game was the reason for the shocking scoreline.

'We kept trying to win the game when it was conceivably not possible. Maybe we were a bit naïve and should have sat behind the ball and tried not to concede,' he added.

'At the time you’re thinking we’re at Old Trafford and we always want to get the ball down and play. The players haven't been brought up to sit behind the ball, defend and see games out. But to lose those goals late on was very disappointing.

'The sending-off was the turning point,' continued Fletch. 'Even though we were a goal down I thought we controlled the match in the first half, played the better football and put them under pressure without really creating any real chances.

'To lose a man right at the start of the second half made it a long 45 minutes with ten men against a good side.'

Turning point? Evans' dismissal heralded City's goaslcoring spree (below)