TONY PULIS admitted that his Stoke City players were "a little bit flat" after champions Manchester United ran out comfortable winners at the Britannia Stadium.
The Potters went down to two second half goals created by substitute Ryan Giggs as United climbed back to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season.
Pulis summed it up by saying: "The best team won . . . it's as simple as that. It was quite a comfortable afternoon for them in the end and they deserve all the plaudits."
He added: "When you are playing the best team in the world, you cannot afford to be anything but at your best and yet for the first time this season we didn't give it a real go.
"I can't explain why, but the players seemed a little bit flat from the start and that gave United the opportunity to dominate the game and stamp down their authority.
"But players are human beings. They have good days, they have bad days like everyone else and this was one of those rare occasions when it just didn't happen for us."
Pulis had praise for United's two veteran stars, Giggs and Paul Scholes, who were key figures in the 2-0 triumph for Sir Alex Ferguson's side as goals from Dimitar Berbatov and John O'Shea settled the encounter and lifted the champions above Chelsea on goal difference.
"Scholes was the best player on the field by a country mile," said City's manager. "They're both great players, great professionals and they absolutely fantastic today."
