Golf trip brings United together

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the impact of his side’s mid-season golfing trip to St Andrews.

Having been knocked out of both the FA Cup and the Europa League, Sir Alex took the opportunity to take his team to the famous golf course at the end of March.

And the United boss believes the visit to his homeland did the players good, and also helped to improve the team’s unity.

“They’ve done well, the lads, the little trip we had to St Andrews was fantastic,” Ferguson told The Sun.

“I didn’t play and I’m glad because there are some bandits at our club. There’s no chance you can win. The players loved it. On the Friday about half a dozen of them had nine holes.”

“It helped with the unity of the players – it was a good moment for us. It makes you realise when players stay together, they become a team very easily.”

United make the relatively short trip to relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic on Wednesday, knowing a win would take them a step closer to their 20th league title.

The Red Devils are also set to face struggling Aston Villa in their Premier League run-in, yet Ferguson is refusing to take their opponents lightly.

“We are playing teams from the bottom but that doesn’t make them easy,” Ferguson said.

United’s record against Wednesday’s opponents Wigan has been exemplary, winning every one of their 13 Premier League games against the Latics.

Yet despite this, Michael Carrick is adopting a similar approach to his manager, and insists their previous record counts for nothing.

“It doesn’t matter what we have done against them in the past,” Carrick said. “What’s important is what we do tonight.”

United defender Rio Ferdinand has amassed five Premier League titles in his nine seasons at the club, and he says the thought of leaving the club without winning another title is what inspires him to carry on.

“You think it could be your last one or two titles,” added Ferdinand. “It would not be good finishing not winning something.”