Ferguson sees United hitting form at right time

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson feels that his team are hitting form just as the season is beginning to get serious.

United have already lost five Premier League matches this season and were knocked out of the FA Cup at the third round stage by League One team Leeds.

Having lost in the Champions League at home to Besiktas and also suffered defeat in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final with Manchester City, United have had an unusually inconsistent opening to the campaign.

But, having beaten Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates last weekend, Ferguson’s team are still firmly in the race for the Premier League title race with Chelsea.

They have also lined up a League Cup final date with Aston Villa and are through to the second round of the Champions League, in which they face AC Milan.

Ferguson thinks that overcoming City in the second leg and then beating Arsenal have put United’s season on track and he expects his team to get stronger and stronger as the end of the campaign approaches.

“Historically, we have always grasped the nettle at this time of the year. They realise there is something at stake and we can’t afford inconsistency.

“Teams will drop points in every run-in, there is no doubt about that, but we are experienced and know that if you’re going to drop more than the rest you’re going to lose the league. That’s a fact.

“Our aim is to try to be as consistent as we can, and try to produce the kind of performances we did on Sunday (against Arsenal) and that will take us very close.

“We are talking about the run-in to the league now and three points is three points, it doesn’t matter where you get them from.

“Whatever games we have got left, if we win most of them we have a good chance.

“We have got to keep the momentum going, we have an important time coming up. We have to go to Villa Park on the Wednesday, then we’ve got the Milan game and League Cup final, we have got a big time coming up, consistency and form is going to be important for us.”

Ferguson believes his team’s conditioning gives them an edge at this time of the season.

“It definitely has a lot to do with the training we do, but you have to have the players. You can have the fittest team in the world but if they can’t play, what chance have you got?”

Ferguson is hoping that the possibility of playing in the World Cup can help Owen Hargreaves win his battle against serious knee problems.

The England midfielder has been sidelined since September 2008 and Ferguson has left him out of United?s Champions League squad.

The United manager remains confident that Hargreaves will play before the end of the season and thinks he could contribute to Fabio Capello?s squad in South Africa.

He said: “It’s hard for him, of course. He’s been out for a year and a half. It’s bound to be hard for him. The physios are doing their best with him. There are some times we feel he’s almost there, and then he seems to be slow again.

“I’m confident he will be back before the end of the season. It’s the recovery, it’s slow.

“The biggest incentive should be to get back into our team, but if at the end of it is that carrot of being at the World Cup, then I’ll be happy with that. I think he would be an important player for England too.

“If he gets back, the confidence would come back. If he were to start playing, the confidence would come back. The confidence would be the key factor in that.”