Fergie expects Arsenal to challenge for title

Sir Alex Ferguson insists Arsenal will be one of Manchester United’s main rivals for honours this season as the great rivals prepare to resume battle at Old Trafford on Saturday.

United delivered a crushing blow to Arsenal in last season’s Champions League semi-final, cruising through 4-1 on aggregate after beating Arsene Wenger’s men 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

Ferguson admits that was United’s best performance of the season but, despite the fact Arsenal have sold Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure to Manchester City during the close-season, the Scot remains convinced the north London club look stronger this year.

He doesn’t believe the result of Saturday’s game will decide the title, but fully expects Arsenal to be in the mix when the honours are given out in May.

Ferguson has also hailed Wenger’s ability to regenerate teams at the Emirates and believes he is one of the best manager’s in the world at knowing when the time is right to sell players.

Arsenal have made a brighter start to the new campaign than United, winning both league matches, while Ferguson’s men suffered a shock loss at newly-promoted Burnley.

Ferguson said: “Games against Arsenal are always enjoyable and very interesting. At the start of the season there have been some highlights for Arsenal already,

“Their 6-1 win at Everton was an amazing result. I’ve never known Everton concede that many goals at home before. I can’t remember that happening before.

“It’s been a good start for them. We’ve got a game on our hands. We’ve got to get our form right and make sure it is consistent. We’ve lost one game already and can’t afford to lose another.”

Relations between United and Arsenal have thawed in recent years, mostly due to the fact that Arsenal have been unable to sustain a genuine challenge for the title, but Ferguson believes the rivalry remains as strong as ever.

Ferguson, who is without long-term injury victims Rio Ferdinand, Owen Hargreaves and Edwin van der Sar, added: “Over the years Manchester United versus Arsenal games were the feature of the Premier League, there’s no doubt about that.

“It was the number one game. Some of them were very, very feisty. But the characters of the teams have changed. There is no (Roy) Keane or (Patrick) Vieira, both volatile characters and dominant players.

“I think the personalities of the teams has changed. It will be no less competitive though, just a different type of game.

“There are 35 games left so you can’t say it will mean a lot (in terms of the outcome of the title). But we dropped points against the top four teams last season and that’s an area I want to see us address.

“I couldn’t understand people writing Arsenal off. I think it was a media thing. I can’t see it. They have respect and the one thing Arsene has done well is he’s always sold a player at the right time. He knows when it’s the right time for a player to leave.

“But I don’t think the level of their ability has changed one bit.”

Meanwhile, Ferguson believes it is now essential to introduce technology to help stamp out incidents like the dive from Eduardo that won a penalty for Arsenal in their Champions League play-off against Celtic on Wednesday.

UEFA president Michel Platini wants to introduce extra officials stationed behind the goals in Europa League matches to aid referees and Ferguson said: “For the last decade there has just been talk. Nothing has been done. The time is now.

“Michel Platini has his own views about bringing in extra human assistance with additional referees and assistants but most people in the game think technology should be used.

“Whatever the debate it should lead to something more positive in terms of helping referees in situations like Wednesday.

“There is no question that the speed of the game means technology or additional assistance should be used.”