Ryan Giggs Backs Manchester United Youngsters Despite Kansas City Wizards Defeat

Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs believes that the surprise friendly defeat to Kansas City Wizards will be another learning curve for the young players at the club and that the experience will hold them in good stead for the future.

Giggs was part of the United team that ended up on the wrong side of a 2-1 score line, as the Red Devils suffered their first defeat on their American tour having previously beaten Celtic and Philadelphia Union.

However, Giggs insists that such a defeat isn’t disastrous and will give youngsters, such as Chris Smalling, Mame Biram Diouf and Rafael, more game time experience which will only benefit them in their future careers.

“You learn something from every game you play when you are younger and you always try to take something even when you lose, “said Giggs after the match to the club's official website.

“Hopefully the young lads will be better for the experience.”

United never really got going in Kansas at the Arrowhead Stadium where just over 52,000 fans watched United fall to defeat.

Even when Kansas City’s Jimmy Conrad was sent off after conceding a penalty after a cynical challenge, United couldn’t react. From the resulting penalty Dimitar Berbatov equalised, but just a couple minutes later Kansas City were back in the lead.  

“We didn’t play well and the second goal was a killer coming so quickly after we had got ourselves back into the game and they went down to 10 men,” Giggs said.

“We didn’t recover from that.

“The big thing about pre-season is getting your fitness right but of course you want to play well and win your games. It might be a friendly but it’s disappointing when you lose.

However, Manchester United’s record appearance maker still had time to reflect on the positives in which Sir Alex Ferguson’s side can take from the game.

“It was a good run out for us. It’s hard work in the heat especially when you are a goal down chasing the game but credit to the Wizards, they played well," he noted.

“It’s always an experience when you’re playing at a great stadium, in front of a good crowd against good opposition.”