Sir Alex Ferguson: I’m a racing cert - 7M sport

Sir Alex Ferguson: I’m a racing cert



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Posted Saturday, October 22, 2011 by Express.co.uk

Sir Alex Ferguson: I’m a racing cert
Sir Alex Ferguson with top jockey Frankie Dettori yesterday

SIR ALEX FERGUSON has warned Manchester City he will see off their challenge in the same way he has swept aside all the other clubs who have threatened Manchester United’s domination of English football.

Having achieved his mission statement on arriving at Old Trafford in 1986 of knocking Liverpool off their perch, Ferguson has fended off a series of pretenders to Manchester United’s pre-eminence.

First there was Blackburn, backed by steel tycoon Jack Walker’s millions, who toppled United in 1995 before entering a decline so rapid they were relegated four years later.

Then came Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal – title winners in 1998, 2002 and 2004 – but trophyless now for six years.

Then Chelsea, champions under Jose Mourinho in 2005 and 2006 and winners again under Carlo Ancelotti in 2010, but now with their seventh manager finding his feet in just eight years of Roman Abramovich’s ownership.

On each occasion Ferguson picked himself up, dusted himself down and bounced back with a new team to reclaim the championship.


Now the threat comes from closer quarters – just a few miles across Manchester – but again the message is the same from the Scot: “Bring it on – I’m up for it.”

On the eve of what Ferguson describes as a more important Manchester derby than any of the 42 he has previously encountered in his quarter of a century in charge of United, he said: “It doesn’t matter where the challenges come from in this league, you know every year you are going to have to beat someone.

“This year it may be City, although people are being a wee bit premature in writing off Chelsea as far as I am concerned. You can’t discount them.

“We hope we finish above the both of them. That is the name of the game. City have done fantastically well and, but for throwing away a two-goal lead against Fulham, they would have a 100 per cent record, so we’ve got a game on our hands and we’re looking forward to it.

“The money they have spent doesn’t matter. They are where they are at the top of the league at the moment and at this club we always accept a challenge. We’ve done that time and time again. It’s another situation, another game in the history of the club and we have to deal with it. I enjoy that. It’s the type of challenge we have accepted well over the years.

“When Blackburn had that two-year spell when they were second one year and won it the next it was interesting. It was good for the game.

“We won the league in 1993 and the next year. Blackburn came along and took the title off us and we reacted in the right way. It doesn’t do any harm. You don’t always want to be behind a club in the way we were for a couple of years with
Chelsea, but we showed the vigour and determination and decision-making that got us back in front of that particular football club.

“We never expect anybody to go away, but what we try to do is make sure we are the better one. The important thing is we don’t go away.”

Although there will still be 29 games left to play after tomorrow, Ferguson admits the outcome of the derby will have a significant bearing on the destiny of the title.

“It’s early doors of course and there are a lot of winning posts along the way and one of the winning posts is this game,” he added.

“It could be a significant point of the season. But you can only judge that at the end of the season really. But it is a six-pointer, no doubt about that. Whichever team wins, it will make a difference. But you can recover from it if you lose. And the way we react in the second half of the season, you hope we will be better.”

The two clubs have scored a combined 52 Premier League goals between them in their eight fixtures so far, both of them averaging nearly four a game. But after witnessing a stalemate for most of United’s game at Anfield, Ferguson is not convinced it will be a belt and braces job tomorrow.

“It’s difficult to say sometimes what derby games will be like,” he said.

“Last Saturday against Liverpool was disappointing for 75 minutes but, once the goals were scored, it was a great game.”

Ferguson is set to field an attacking line-up, with Ashley Young recalled to join Javier Hernandez, Wayne Rooney and Nani in a pacy, four-strong spearhead.

At the back, he must decide whether to recall Phil Jones or restore the Rio Ferdinand-Nemanja Vidic partnership.
Whoever plays, though, will be up for the challenge. Ferguson will make sure of it.



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