Manchester United boss David Moyes has rejected claims that the Premier League champions have lost their fear factor since he succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson.
United are eight points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after being held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton at Old Trafford on Saturday.
“Sir Alex Ferguson has a great history and his experience will always work in charge of any team,” said Moyes.
“But the fear comes from the team on the pitch.”
United have only one victory from four league games at Old Trafford since Ferguson’s retirement, but Moyes insisted: “The players have always been the people that have to turn out and do it.”
Ferguson, who won 38 trophies during 26 years in charge, watched from the stands in his new role as a club director, but United could not build on their win at Sunderland last time out.
Moyes had looked on course to record back-to-back league victories for the first time as United boss, only for Adam Lallana’s late goal to cancel out Robin van Persie’s first-half strike.
It was the first time United had failed to win in successive league home matches for six years. They have 11 points after eight games and have suffered three defeats. At the same point last season United had been beaten twice but were third with 18 points.
“I am disappointed because we wanted to get a bit of momentum going today and we weren’t able to do that,” said Moyes.
