GOAL-DEN ERA ... Alex Ferguson hopes his side
can hit new heights this season
Now Fergie wants the attack to grab back some of the
headlines as they did in cutting loose in the 5-0 demolition of
West Brom in midweek. And the United boss believes Dimitar
Berbatov, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo can all
go on and get 20 goals each this season.
Ferguson said: “I certainly think they are capable of
doing it. Quite rightly the defenders have been taking the credit
this season up until now. “I just hope now that it’s going to be
the forwards who take the credit.
“The case of Ronaldo is a good one. Last year was a
miracle season. To score 42 goals as a winger, it is hard to
imagine he could replicate that. “Yet people are saying he has not
had a great season but he’s still got 13 goals for us and had 11
assists.
“If we could dismiss last season altogether you would
say that was incredible for a winger to score 13 goals by the
half-way mark. “So he will without doubt end up with over 20.
Berbatov’s record at Tottenham was 20 goals or more a season and we
expect that again. And of course if we can get the extra stuff from
Carlos and Wayne it gives us a better chance.”
Right now Ronaldo has 13, Rooney 12, Berbatov 11 and
Tevez 10.
After a slow start Berbatov has now scored in four of
United’s last five. And Fergie said: “The most important aspect is
the other players are understanding him now.
“They are feeding him with passes, playing to him much
more and bringing him much more into the play now. “It took the
players time to recognise his talents. He’s a different type of
player from what we are used to but now they are doing that and you
are seeing the benefits of that.”
United look confident on top of the table, two points
clear of nearest rivals Chelsea with a game in hand ahead of
today’s home task against Everton. Win that and they can sit back
and watch at least one of Liverpool or Chelsea drop points as they
do battle at Anfield tomorrow.
Fergie said: “If we win I don’t care what happens at
Anfield, if they both lose — that would be the perfect day! “Look
after yourselves is the name of the game. Do your job and you don’t
have to worry about elsewhere.”