FERGUSON EXPECTS LOW WINNING TOTAL

Rooney9 SG

Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping the old and the new can combine to produce another successful Manchester United title challenge.

For so much of the season, United have appeared below their best and it was the same again on Saturday as they laboured for over an hour against Burnley.

But eventually, Dimitar Berbatov made the breakthrough, setting the Red Devils on their way to a 3-0 win over the Clarets that was rounded off by a goal from new-boy Mame Biram Diouf on his home debut.

While Ferguson was delighted his side's dominance was finally rewarded, Wayne Rooney slotting home a 16th goal of the season in the process, he was equally pleased with the clean sheet that marked Edwin van der Sar's return to action.

The 39-year-old has not enjoyed the best of campaigns.

He broke two fingers during a pre-season game in Munich, injured his knee against Everton in November and then had to endure the horror of wife Annemarie suffering a stroke in their native Holland just before Christmas.

But, fit and available after a week's warm-weather training in Qatar, Ferguson had no hesitation in drafting Van der Sar straight back in for only his eighth appearance of the season.

"Edwin was magnificent," he said.

"He was steady, his decision-making was great and so was his use of the ball.

"Tomasz Kuszczak has done really well for us over the last few weeks and it is no slight on him to say that Edwin made a difference.

"He is 39 and has 139 caps, two European Cup winners medals and been in four European finals.

"You could go on and on about his experience and it shows."

Before his latest absence, Van der Sar was mulling over whether to sign another year's extension and also an offer to return to international combat at this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

Such decisions have been put on hold given the situation with Annemarie, although the mere fact Van der Sar feels able to resume his own career is a positive sign.

"It has been hard of course but you have to get going," he said.

"My wife is back at home in Holland but hopefully soon everything will come back together and she will be over here again.

"I am not sure whether I was feeling my age or whether it was the two months away but I was a little nervous before the game.

"It was important to win because we need to stay close to the leaders. Hopefully now we can go from strength to strength."

If Van der Sar's presence will bring a defensive stability that can only be enhanced by the imminent return of Rio Ferdinand, possibly for next Saturday's rearranged game against Hull, Ferguson has a dilemma in attack.

Replacing Rooney with 20 minutes left was an obvious acknowledgement of Tuesday's crunch Carling Cup semi-final with Manchester City at Eastlands.

The departure of Berbatov at the same time was recognition the Bulgarian was feeling more discomfort from a knee injury that he so far has rejected advice that it requires an exploratory operation.

It is becoming increasing likely that option will have to be taken, which would severely weaken United's attacking strength, particularly as Ferguson does not view a partnership between Rooney and Michael Owen as being viable.

Given the financial tumult of recent days, supporters will be keenly interested to discover whether Ferguson tries to bring in reinforcements.

However, Diouf did make a positive impression, even if the Senegal star, who was signed last summer but remained on loan at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's old club Molde, was not quite as explosive as the currently injured Federico Macheda was last term.

"We are quite excited about him," said Ferguson.

"The boy has great spring. He is quick, good in the air and looked to run behind their defence all the time.

"He has a lot of good attributes we can use."

Rooney9 SG

There will be no Changing of the Guard in Manchester on his watch.

A blue moon will not be emerging from behind the clouds.

City may be the brash, billionaire heir apparents but Ferguson and United intend remaining the old kings of Mancunia for some time yet.

United's boss is under no illusions what a first cup win since 1976 could do for their noisy, nosy neighbours.

He knows just what a trophy for the new regime this season will do for the Eastlands owners.

How it will feed their huge appetite for success and lead to even more money being poured into the project. To make sure City are there for good.

That is why Ferguson sent out the big guns last night. To try to blast City out of the water.

To make sure the revolution never gets off the ground. Like all successful dictators who are used to getting their own way.

He also remembers only too well the 1989-90 season when, but for that Mark Robins' FA Cup third-round goal at Nottingham Forest, he might have lost his job.

Instead, United went on to Wembley to win the trophy.

It was Ferguson's first and led to the creation of a dynasty. The modern Manchester United, who have lorded it over their city rivals for 35 years.

No wonder he was so desperate to stop City and Roberto Mancini last night.

And for 42 minutes, City chief Mancini was in purgatory - probably ready to hang himself with his snazzy City scarf.

As he stood and watched his team outplayed and outmanoeuvred, the Italian could only bow to the superior tactical knowledge and experience of the man in the opposition dugout. Trailing to a 16th-minute, tap-in goal from Ryan Giggs, City somehow managed to get even worse rather than responding.

It got to such a point City fans in the stand behind Mancini were starting to hurl insults at the man whose opening winning streak had bitten the dust in inglorious style at Goodison Park over the weekend.

And then came Carlos Tevez. There is precious little you can do when a man is on a mission.

Even when you have stiffened your team to such an extent that Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra and Darren Fletcher are all making their first Carling Cup appearances of the season.

There was, eventually, no handling the little Argentine firecracker. Fuelled by the poor reception he had received on his return to Old Trafford earlier in the season - and some typical, poorly timed remarks from Gary 'Gobby' Neville - nothing was going to stop him.

He ground away like a drill at the heart of the United defence and eventually the holes appeared.

But it is on nights like these that United show all their old character. Yes, they have blown hot and cold all season, with some woeful displays against teams that, in the past, they would have wiped off the map without breaking sweat.

Yet as they showed at Stamford Bridge, they can still rise to the occasion - even in defeat.

And so it was last night, when, trailing 2-1, they played their best football. Antonio Valencia, Michael Owen and Rooney might all have scored to procure the draw their overall superiority deserved.

Before the game, City got their fans in the mood by welcoming some of the most celebrated names in the club's history on to the pitch for a bow and a wave.

Once again, fabled names like Bell, Lee and Summerbee trod the home stadium turf.

If City are to survive next week, though, it is not only Tevez who is going to have to perform like them.

likeyou SG

Man U will win 2nd leg.....

Rooney9 SG

Man U will win 2nd leg.....

no question

likeyou SG

I am a man u fan for many years.

But this season...abit chialet for them.

EPL : Dont know whether they can be a champion or not.

Champion league : Abit too strong for man u.

Sigh!

iceFatboy SG

haha, when I support MU, they were worse than this...

hopefully, they can turn it around.. one of the many qualities they posses..

Larryteo SG

When you mentioned Fergie, I thought you were mentioning that singer, LOL :P

Rooney9 SG

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has a feeling 82 points will be enough to secure the Premier League title this season.

Not since his own side completed their first championship hat-trick in 2001 has a team finished top with such a relatively minimal amount.

United won it with 83 in 2003 but, thanks first to Arsene Wenger's 'Invincibles' and then the staggering consistency Chelsea achieved under Jose Mourinho, the bar has been raised far higher in recent times.

Ferguson thinks this season is going to be different.

A title picture that contained seven teams last weekend has been trimmed somewhat after four of the contenders failed to overcome opposition from far lower in the table - in a week when Chelsea put seven past Sunderland, Arsenal roared back from two goals adrift against Bolton and United overcame Burnley's stern resistance.

But Ferguson believes the main contenders will also continue to drop points.

"It could be the lowest points total for a while, possibly as low as 82," he said.

"There may be a change in that but I don't see it because it is such a tough league.

"In any event, we are going to have to put our foot down."

With United's tilt at the FA Cup over at an unusually early stage, their clash with Hull on Saturday represents a chance to reach the Premier League summit, even if they will have played two more matches than Chelsea and one more than current leaders Arsenal.

Victory is even more important because of the matches that follow.

Next Sunday, United head to Arsenal looking to record a league double over Arsene Wenger's in-form side, having already beaten them on home soil in August.

Seven days after that, the Gunners visit Chelsea.

Given the present state of play, a couple of away wins - or a draw at Stamford Bridge - would suit Ferguson fine.

He accepts should Arsenal win both matches, they will suddenly be on course to end a five-year title drought dating back to the Invincibles year, which in itself would be quite a feat given Wenger's men were being written off totally two months ago after being hammered at home by Chelsea for the second successive year.

"Arsenal themselves said it was a difficult time for them after they lost to Chelsea. They were well beaten that particular day," said Ferguson.

"But they have proved that when teams start to win games, that consistency can get you back to the top of the league.

"They will feel they are in with a great chance now and with the games coming up over the next few weeks, it is going to be interesting."

Ferguson can at least take some comfort from the return of Rio Ferdinand on Saturday.

The England defender has been out for almost three months with a back complaint that dates back to beyond last season's Club World Cup trip to Japan.

Although Ferdinand is bound to be rusty, his presence has been missed and should also allow Ferguson to shunt Wes Brown into the right-back slot - if not to face Hull, then Manchester City next Wednesday, given that Craig Bellamy exposed Rafael Da Silva so badly in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Eastlands.

The decider is bound to be uppermost in Ferguson's mind when he comes to select his side on Saturday, even to the extent Wayne Rooney might get a break.

Not that Rooney is likely to take that piece of news very well.

"It is difficult to rest Rooney," laughed Ferguson, acknowledging the striker's desperation to play in every game.

"But there will be occasions, maybe tomorrow."

Dimitar Berbatov's recovery from a dead leg does provide Ferguson with an alternative, along with Michael Owen and new-boy Mame Biram Diouf, who has made a decent impression since his arrival from Molde.

The Senegal-born youngster scored his first United goal on his home debut against Burnley last week and the excellent reserve-team hat-trick he claimed at Sunderland last night has not escaped Ferguson's attention.

"The boy has done very well," said Ferguson.

"His training performances have been very good and he is showing a real sharpness in front of goal, which is not a bad thing when you are bringing someone in at this time of year.

"He may just be a real winner for us."