Manchester United can still retain the title despite their shock defeat to Premiership strugglers Wolves last weekend, Sir Alex Ferguson claimed in Dubai on Monday.
The Scot was speaking at a training camp to where they flew hours after the 1-0 defeat by Wolves for a brief stay before returning for this weekend’s FA Cup fourth-round clash with Northampton Town.
”Manchester United are capable of retaining the title even if we lost 1-0 to Wolves last Saturday,” said the Scot, whose side trail leaders Arsenal by two points.
Ferguson shrugged off criticism of his frontline, which was bolstered by the signing of Frenchman Llouis Saha on Monday, issuing them with a vote of confidence.
”There is no problem whatosever with the forward line,” he said.
”How could there be with the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Diego Forlan leading it? Besides, we have signed Saha.”
Ferguson is under some pressure himself with his ongoing dispute with major shareholder John Magnier over breeding rights to champion miler Rock of Gibraltar, which raced in his colours two years ago but which stands at the latter’s Coolmore Stud in Ireland.
The United manager said the brief training camp had been mainly designed to let the players relax.
”This was organised so we could benefit from the good weather here at this time of year and to give the players the chance to alleviate the pressure from the English football programme,” he said. — Sapa-AFP