MANCHESTER United coach Rene Meulensteen is confident the Red Devils will be able to handle the fall-out from last weekend's shock defeat by Liverpool.
The Red Devils are still trying to take in their worst home loss to the Merseyside outfit since 1936.
Although United remain well placed to land an 18th league championship, the sheer scale of the reverse they suffered at Old Trafford last weekend has led some to question whether Sir Alex Ferguson will be able to get his team back on an even keel before Saturday's Barclays Premier League encounter with Fulham.
Ferguson already knows he must plan without Nemanja Vidic, who is suspended following his red card, and further changes are inevitable.
But while Meulensteen - brought back to United by Ferguson last season after a brief spell in charge of Danish outfit Brondby - admits the 4-1 hammering came as a shattering blow, he is confident there will be no hangover.
"It was a shock for everybody," the Dutchman told MUTV.
"We are all human - and sometimes you need to take it on the chin, look at it and move on. That is what we are doing.
"It is not nice to lose, and you don't like to lose to your direct rivals even more. It makes it a little more emotional because it is Liverpool. But it is nothing we can't handle.
"The players are all very keen to show this was just a slip-up."
As Ferguson is sure to have been stressing this week as United come to terms with their biggest home defeat since a similar reverse to QPR in 1992, Meulensteen points to a league table that still has the Red Devils four points clear with a game in hand as proof of what a superb season the Red Devils have had.
Throw in Carling Cup and Club World Cup triumphs in addition to last season's successes in the Premier League and Champions League, and it is easy to see why he feels United should avoid a negative mindset.
"We must not forget these players have been absolutely outstanding," he said.
"It has gone on and on and on, from winning the Premier League last season.
"But sometimes when you keep winning you get away with certain little things. In this instance, we didn't.
"Now it is a matter of making sure we get back on the right track.
"We are still in a fantastic position. If someone had told the manager that in the middle of March we would be four points clear and have a game in hand, he would have taken it."
Although United remain well placed to land an 18th league championship, the sheer scale of the reverse they suffered at Old Trafford last weekend has led some to question whether Sir Alex Ferguson will be able to get his team back on an even keel before Saturday's Barclays Premier League encounter with Fulham.
Ferguson already knows he must plan without Nemanja Vidic, who is suspended following his red card, and further changes are inevitable.
But while Meulensteen - brought back to United by Ferguson last season after a brief spell in charge of Danish outfit Brondby - admits the 4-1 hammering came as a shattering blow, he is confident there will be no hangover.
"It was a shock for everybody," the Dutchman told MUTV.
"We are all human - and sometimes you need to take it on the chin, look at it and move on. That is what we are doing.
"It is not nice to lose, and you don't like to lose to your direct rivals even more. It makes it a little more emotional because it is Liverpool. But it is nothing we can't handle.
"The players are all very keen to show this was just a slip-up."
As Ferguson is sure to have been stressing this week as United come to terms with their biggest home defeat since a similar reverse to QPR in 1992, Meulensteen points to a league table that still has the Red Devils four points clear with a game in hand as proof of what a superb season the Red Devils have had.
Throw in Carling Cup and Club World Cup triumphs in addition to last season's successes in the Premier League and Champions League, and it is easy to see why he feels United should avoid a negative mindset.
"We must not forget these players have been absolutely outstanding," he said.
"It has gone on and on and on, from winning the Premier League last season.
"But sometimes when you keep winning you get away with certain little things. In this instance, we didn't.
"Now it is a matter of making sure we get back on the right track.
"We are still in a fantastic position. If someone had told the manager that in the middle of March we would be four points clear and have a game in hand, he would have taken it."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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