Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that the 4-4 draw with Everton would be the main reason if United fail to lift the trophy this season.

United are looking to win their record 20th Premier league title, but suffered a major setback after the 1-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City on Monday night.

However, Sir Alex Ferguson reckons that United do not have to blame the Manchester derby loss for the failure to win the title, but on the Everton match. Despite leading the match by two goals on two occasions, United let Everton back into the game.

The match finished in an epic 4-4 draw, which is almost unthinkable at Old Trafford. It was a perfect pain reliever for Everton manager David Moyes, who had seen his side suffer heartbreak in the FA Cup semi-final at the hands of arch rivals Liverpool.

Everton managed to claw back the advantage United had the match twice, which made it even more special. United were going into the final 10 min of the match with a two-goal advantage, but goals from two Everton players ensured that they got a point at Old Trafford. Ferguson also criticised the performances of Chris Smalling in the Manchester derby. United will be without Danny Welbeck and Jonny Evans for the match against Swansea during the weekend.

"The Everton game was the killer for us. It was an absolutely ridiculous performance in the last 10 minutes of the match. Just absolute carelessness. It's all right saying the history of the club is to attack all the time but it was a stupid performance and it's put us on the back foot, no question about that. If we lose the league, we'll have to accept it's the Everton game that did it," Ferguson said ahead of the Swansea match.

Everton manager David Moyes has said that his midfielder Jack Rodwell could become the star of the Euro 2012 that is going to be held in Poland and Ukraine this summer.

Even though there are plenty of players ahead of Jack Rodwell for the same position, David Moyes believes that the youngster could become the sensational hit after Wayne Rooney. Wayne Rooney emerged from the darkness at the Euro 2004 and has been regarded as one of the greatest players ever since. David Moyes reckons that the same will happen for Jack Rodwell as well if he is selected for the squad that travels to Poland and Ukraine in the summer.

David Moyes has also said that along with Jack Rodwell, players like Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge, and Phil Jones should also be included in the squad for the Euro 2012. He says that without a younger players, the future for England looks very bleak. Taking such an young squad will emulate the youngsters from Germany, who performed so exceptionally in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Initially, Jack Rodwell was regarded to be as a future centre half of England, but David Moyes has been using as a midfielder. David Moyes reckons that the attacking ability in his game means that Jack Rodwell would be more effective in midfield than in defence.

"Jack might have a good chance of making the squad because he has got what Germany went into the World Cup with. They had a bit of the unknown - players who had done OK in their country, but had legs, enthusiasm and a hunger for the game. For them, it was just the excitement of being involved in a major tournament," Moyes told the Daily Express. Jack Rodwell has been selected for the recent friendlies by Fabio Capello.