Ferguson ready for derby day challenge
Reuters - Thursday 27 November 2008, 16:59
MANCHESTER - Manchester United
are ready to tackle head on any challenge from super-rich
neighbours Manchester City, manager Alex Ferguson said on
Thursday.
But Chelsea and Liverpool, equal top on points in the
Premier League, remain United's biggest threat for the time
being, he added.
City, flush with money following the takeover earlier this
year by their new Abu Dhabi owners, are at home to United in the
Manchester derby at Eastlands on Sunday.
After buying Brazilian forward Robinho for a British record
transfer fee of 32.5 million pounds ($50.18 million) in August,
City are poised to try and make more major signings in the
January transfer window.
"We experienced it with Chelsea when (Roman) Abramovich came
in and bought all those players that summer and they won the
league in the next two years," Ferguson said.
"It was an immediate impact and what we had to do was sit
back and accept this challenge," Ferguson told reporters.
"The one thing you can say about this club is that it can
accept a challenge and do something about it and we had to do
something about it or we would be second for ever more.
"We accepted it and fortunately we have won the last two
leagues."
The full impact of City's new ownership is yet to be
realised despite acquiring Robinho. They are 11th in the table
under the management of former United striker Mark Hughes.
Ferguson said his major focus remained on Chelsea and
leaders Liverpool as third-placed United look to make up an
eight-point deficit and stay in contention for a hat-trick of
titles.
"There may be a different focus (on the derby) this time
with the prospect Mark Hughes has got of money available and
buying so many players in January, but that doesn't change our
side of it," he said.
"That's the future: how Mark Hughes uses the money and how
he shapes his team.
"At the moment our threats are still Chelsea and Liverpool,
who are sitting above us."
LATEST ENGLISH FOOTBALL NEWS