Clough took over as Derby manager in January

Derby County manager Nigel Clough has said his side must take all the positives they can from Sunday's FA Cup defeat against Manchester United.

The Rams were beaten 4-1 at Pride Park but Clough told BBC Radio Derby: "They could have put four past anybody today, Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea.

"We are pleased we hung in, we kept going and didn't get ragged or pick up any silly bookings.

"We have to take this one in isolation. There's no disgrace."

The Rams conceded just before and just after half-time and found themselves trailing 3-0 with 40 minutes still remaining.

But Miles Addison pulled a goal back with a header and the game was in the balance until Danny Welbeck scored United's fourth in the 81st minute.

Clough said he was especially pleased with their second-half performance.

"We switched off at a corner and were 3-0 down and thinking it could end up five or six," he said.

"But we got the ball down and started to play a little bit.

606: DEBATE Yeah ok we let 4(5) in but I thought Bywater was brilliant and proved why he deserved his new contract. Commons07

"We thoroughly deserved the goal and for a ten-minute spell we had a couple of opportunities where we could have got back to 3-2.

"But four of the last five they have conceded in the last couple of months we have scored against them," he added.

"That is a great achievement and we have to take things like that from the game."

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