Sir Alex Ferguson's reaction to infamous Man City 6-1 thrashing revealed by Man United insider

Manchester United suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat to Manchester City in October 2011, which many believe cost them the Premier League title.

The loss was United's worst at Old Trafford since February 1955 and had significant implications later in the season. Rene Meulensteen, who was Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at the time, shared his memories of that day with the Manchester Evening News: "Everyone was very disappointed, but the manager was furious, not necessarily because we lost, but the fact we lost the game so heavily." Ferguson didn't hold back in his criticism of the team, according to Meulensteen: "He tore into the players and said 'I understand running into a game like that and sometimes everything falls away, but we were losing 3-1, we got a man sent off. I still thought, and you lot thought, we could win the game, but we flooded people forward and got hit."

The former United boss also emphasised the importance of goal difference in the title race: "He said 'how often do I have to say a goal difference might play a massive part in winning or not winning the league' - and he was right in the end. That was the biggest message after that game."

Sergio Aguero's famous goal against Queens Park Rangers won Manchester City the title on the last day of the 2011/12 season. If the match at Old Trafford had ended 2-1, both teams would have had the same points and goals. That loss was United's biggest in Premier League history and things started to change in Manchester after City got new owners.

Sir Alex Ferguson once said in 2009 that City would never be better than United while he was alive. But since he left, City has been very good at football. "You have to see that comment in the context it was made. He couldn't