Sir Alex Ferguson has won a vote of confidence from the Manchester United board but his former captain, Bryan Robson, says he got it wrong this season and the club will finish without a trophy.
In the last week United have crashed out of the European Champions League and a 4-1 thrashing by Manchester City on Sunday has left United 12 points behind Arsenal, whom they must beat in the FA Cup semifinals on April 3 to have any chance of winning anything this season.
The loss of form has led to speculation that the 62-year-old Ferguson was on his way out.
But Manchester United chief executive David Gill has given Sir Alex his backing.
”I spoke to Sir Alex and he’s committed to turning it around and having a very strong end to the season,” Gill told the Daily Mail.
”We’ve been written off in the past but you have to recognise what Sir Alex has achieved.
”It’s been difficult going out of Europe and our performances in the Premiership have not been great. We have got some positive things to look forward to.
”The manager has signed a new contract and we have signed Louis Saha, who I think will be a great asset.”
Saha, a £12 million (R145 million) signing from Fulham to bolster the attack alongside Ruud Van Nistelrooy, has yet to fulfill his potential.
Gill also defended Ferguson’s decision to sell David Beckham to Real Madrid last summer.
”Up until Christmas we were playing fantastically well and no-one was asking at that point whether we were missing David Beckham.”
Ferguson has also been criticised for not using the January transfer window to bring in extra defensive cover to compensate for Rio Ferdinand’s suspension.
But Gill insisted signing a defender would have been a ”stop-gap measure.”
”We would have wanted someone good enough to play in the Champions League and they are few and far between.
”Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but at the time we felt it was the right decision.”
But former United and England captain Bryan Robson says Ferguson bought the wrong players last summer after allowing Beckham, French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez and Juan Sebastian Veron to leave.
”I feel Alex took a gamble last summer,” he told The Sun.
”You can accept one season without a trophy but not two in a row. The Premiership has gone now and if they do not stop Arsenal next season then Arsenal will just get stronger.”
Robson says Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson, Tim Howard and Saha will have to prove themselves next season.
And he fears United have nobody to replace captain Roy Keane who is reported to be considering quitting at the end of an injury-plagued season.
”There really should be a bit more drive from some of the other United players,” he said.
Keane, 32, sent off against Porto in the Champions League defeat, has started just 29 of United’s 43 matches this term.
And he has already said he will retire if he cannot play to his best. – Sapa-AFP