London, Apr. 8: Manchester United coach-cum-manager Alex Ferguson has admitted that his Euro gamble backfired.

The United boss went ahead with Sunday’s TV clash against Aston Villa, rather than bring it forward 24 hours.

“We showed tiredness because of the gamble I took playing Sunday which was not the best preparation. But we faced a situation and we took the best option hoping a European occasion would bring the adrenalin up,” The Sun quoted Fergie, as saying.

Fergie wanted to give his top stars an extra day to rest at the weekend after returning from international duty. Now he admits his team face a battle to defend their Champions League title when they go to Porto next Wednesday for the second leg of the last-eight tie.

The Scot, however, slammed his defence for allowing the visitors an 89th-minute equaliser.

“It’s a difficult job now, not made any better when you know no English team has won in Porto. We will just have to do that,” he said.

Porto have won five and drawn six against English sides on their own soil in Europe.

Mariano Gonzalez pounced on sloppy defending to give the Portuguese side a second away goal. United have now conceded 10 times in their last four games.

Fergie, who lost Jonny Evans with a groin injury, said: “It should be a normal situation for Manchester United to see the game out. And it was a terrible goal to lose — we only have ourselves to blame. It shows the fragile nature of our defence at the moment.” (ANI)