Sir Alex Ferguson believes United's feared Treble winning strike
force of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke has a challenger coming up on
the rails.
The embryonic Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez twin threat has the
capacity to recreate the devastating firepower of 1999.
Tonight in Ukraine they could begin a United Champions League match
for the first time against Dynamo Kiev in the Olympic Stadium -
almost nine years to the day since Yorke and Cole began their Euro
career as a deadly duo
The instant chemistry of the Yorke-Cole duo, which started with a
6-2 win against Bronby in 1998, blasted a path to the historic
clean-sweep with a partnership haul of 53 goals.
The Trinidad and Tobago international led the telepathic pairing
with 29 goals and his England hitman partner weighed in with 24
strikes.
The United boss reckons he has pieced together another potential
firm to rival his goal-getters from `99.
"In Tevez and Rooney we have two exceptionally good players who are
a real threat to defenders," he says.
"There is a test for every player who comes to United, and we
always look at that situation. But Carlos Tevez has provided his
own answer to that.
"He's been very, very good, we're delighted with his attitude in
training and in matches, and I think we were very lucky to get
him.
"We've had some fantastic partnerships at the club over the years
and most of them took time to develop, apart from Cole and Yorke,
who were terrific in their first season together.
"Wayne is only 22, Carlos is 23. They are both young players.
Hopefully in three or four years time we will see something really
special from them.
"Both have got great attributes as strikers. Courage, speed,
ability to beat men, all the things are there. But it's maturity.
Once you see that, you see greater authority, better timing.
"When that comes, hopefully they'll still be at this club and
people will see what really special players they are.
"The evidence is good at the moment. We are encouraged but they are
young players. We hope they develop as a partnership and get
better.
"The signs are very good at the moment, that's all I can say,
particularly with them being so young."
