MANCHESTER (AFP) - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson apologised to United fans after his side were beaten 2-1 by Championship side Crystal Palace in the League Cup quarter finals on Wednesday. Ferguson was upset with the manner of his sides defeat, which also saw the Da Silva twins and Dimitar Berbatov forced off with injuries. Bulgarian striker Berbatov appeared to have suffered an ankle problem in the opening stages and left Old Trafford with a plastic boot on the injured leg and looks sure to miss Saturdays game at Aston Villa. Palace will now face fellow Championship side Cardiff in the semi-finals, while Manchester City face Liverpool in the other tie. The defeat to Palace was the ninth time that United have lost a League Cup match to lower-league opposition since 1990 and Ferguson was baffled by his teams display. Palace took the lead through a Darren Ambrose strike from 30 yards before Federico Machedas equaliser ensured the tie went to extra time.