Sir Alex Ferguson feels his Manchester United
players need only take a look at what has happened to Barcelona in
La Liga to see how quickly their fortunes could be transformed this
season.
United head to Newcastle in a seemingly impregnable position at
the Premier League summit. But it is only a matter of weeks since
Barcelona were in a similar position. Now the gap to Real Madrid is
down to four and Barca are suddenly wobbling.
"Barcelona have been playing Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday since
January," said Ferguson. "They did have an 11-point lead, now it is
four and for the first time this season they lost a game after
being in front.
"It is a warning, and there are plenty of them, that if you take
your foot off the pedal you can get a kick in the teeth."
Ferguson said United have to remain focused and, while he
detects no sign among his younger players that a 'job done' feeling
exists in the United dressing room, he is pretty sure his more
experienced campaigners would stamp it out if it did emerge.
"They would have one attempt at being complacent and it would be
the last," said Ferguson of his youth brigade. "We have plenty of
bodies in the dressing room who would come down on them."
"I would be happy if we only won the Premier League from
this point," he said. "It is a major trophy. "I would love to see
us winning the Champions League again. That is my big desire. "But
at this moment the Premier League has to be the best
opportunity.
"If we keep our heads straight and focused we have a big
chance." Not that Ferguson is willing to meekly surrender United's
European crown to Jose Mourinho next week.
"We have done the hard bit in a way by going there and proving
our worth," he said. "Now all we need to do is win our home game
and we are through to the quarter final."