20th Manchester United title? Just take it as Red

Sir Alex Ferguson

M.E.N. Sport's Stuart Mathieson cannot see anyone surpassing the magical powers of Sir Alex Ferguson in this season's top-flight battle. Here he argues why:

MANAGER/TACTICS

Sir Alex Ferguson 12, Premier League bosses 4! Thats the emphatic title scoreline the Reds boss has racked up against his counterparts contesting the top flight this season.

Arsene Wenger makes up three-quarters of that tally but the Frenchman is now in disarray at Arsenal.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has a 1995 Premier League crown on his CV but his Anfield title wins as a manager were over two decades ago in 1986, 88 and 1990. No mean achievements but they were pre-EPL.

Citys Roberto Mancini has three Serie A triumphs to call on and that cannot be dismissed but its not the cut and thrust of the battle for Englands crown.

The rest of Fergies managerial opponents can offer little except a smattering of triumphs, like Roy Hodgsons Danish Super League with Copenhagen a decade ago and Swedish titles with Malmo in the 80s.

So, from August to May, there is no boss with a fatter wad of detailed notes to call on to tackle the marathon campaign. Whereas everyone elses wells of knowledge are shallow, Fergies is bottomless.

Even the most ardent United fan concedes that turning last seasons squad into champions was a remarkable feat and, if Fergie can engineer success in that kind of campaign, then he can do it in any.

It might not have been vintage but the United manager called on all his experience to squeeze success out of a pool of players who were at one time being dubbed the worst he had assembled and even had Wayne Rooney doubting the future!

Could anyone else have survive! d a trau matic campaign like that when your number one asset wanted away and the Reds could barely buy a win away from old Trafford?

Only Fergie could have done that and it injected a syringe full of belief into the club. Tactically Ferguson knows how to play the Premier League. He knows when to freshen up his team and when to stick with it. He knows when rivals need to experience a touch of mind games and when to leave it alone.

SQUAD STRENGTH

The numbers dont really add up. How can you lose six players, import three and promote two and yet still appear to be stronger?

When the final whistle sounded at Wembley in the Champions League final, it officially called time on Paul Scholes and Edwin van der Sars careers. Gary Neville was up in the Sky TV studio, three months into his new career.

John OShea and Wes Brown didnt make the 17 against Barcelona. They didnt know it at the time but their United career figures had already halted. Owen Hargreaves had already emptied his Carrington locker before the final.

The loss of that kind of experience was immeasurable.

Even though more than 50m was spent on David de Gea, Ashley Young and Phil Jones, many critics, and lets be honest United fans, were sceptical that the half-dozen departures had adequately been replaced.

Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverleys elevation to senior status made the numbers look better but were the champions stronger?

Somehow, Penn and Teller-style or Paul Daniels, if you prefer Ferguson has managed to make it appear so.

Freshness and youthful exuberance has replaced aged know-how and Uniteds bench against Arsenal, with five starters from the Champions League final, contained 70m of talent and players whod won 25 League titles between them.

If the new young blood hits the wall sometime in autumn, Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Antonio Valenc! ia,

Ji-sung Park and Michael Owen will be gagging to take over.

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic too will be around to step in.

Thats virtually a whole side whove only had two starts between them this term. Looks pretty strong to me.

KEY PLAYERS

The emphasis will be how the newcomers will cope with the demands of the marathon title battle. They have a spring in their steps now but once the dark nights come and the inevitable blips occur, how will they cope?

New goalkeeper David de Geas penalty-saving and shot-stopping against Arsenal has comforted Reds fans after the Spaniards heart-in-mouth start in the community Shield and at West Brom.

After six years of the security of having Edwin van der Sar, the 20-year-olds settling-in period has to be minimal. United cannot afford the trauma of the post-Peter Schmeichel era.

But his performance against the Gunners will surely wipe the haunted look off his face.

Phil Jones may have to take a breather and make way for Ferdinand or Vidic at some point but the 19-year-old has the body language of a player who will not be thrown off kilter by anything that is hurled at him.

Ashley Young has arguably been the unsung hero of Uniteds opening.

For those fans looking for Modric, Nasri or Sneijder this summer, the arrival of the 26-year-old from Aston Villa didnt exactly set the pulse racing. Yes, the winger was exciting but Fergies title winners were quite well stocked in that department with Nani and Valencia.

Nonetheless, he has added a freshness and goal threat to Uniteds width and has struck up a rapport with Rooney that looks lively and dangerous.

And so to Mr Rooney. Twelve months ago it was all mystery, doom, gloom and droughts before the storm broke and the root of his unhappiness was revealed.

There were even questions as the whether the Englan! d strike rs career had peaked.

Clearly not. Hes back insatiable and inspiring.

PEDIGREE

Losing the medal haul of Uniteds retirees and sales during the summer has blown a huge hole in the champions know-how.

Those who left took with them a stunning 33 Premier League title mementoes.

But Brown, Neville and Hargreaves didnt really contribute to the record 19th title. OShea had two months out and, by his own admission, Scholes wasnt the influence he had been. So the bulk who brought home the record title win are still at the club.

Even allowing for the departures, no other side can boast such a deep well of knowledge.

What do you think? Have your say.

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