(image from here)Fergie said: "It will be hard for them to match last season, let alone improve on it. Other teams will know more about them." ...
He added: "Liverpool had probably their best season for 20 years and still finished four points adrift.
"It has to be Chelsea as the main threat. Ancelotti will change how they play.
"They will play the Milan way. It brought him two European Cups - it should have been three, because they should never have lost to Liverpool. So why should he change?"
Before getting to the other Sir Alex quotes around today, I'd like to look at this article in The Telegraph. It's mainly about the Van Der Sar injury:
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is expected to be sidelined for eight weeks after undergoing surgery on a broken finger and bone in his left hand.The 38-year-old Dutchman sustained the injury saving a penalty from Danijel Pranjic in Manchester United's 7-6 shoot-out defeat to Bayern Munich in the pre-season Audi Cup in Germany.
Van der Sar is not expected to be back in Sir Alex Ferguson's plans until late September, meaning the Scot will have to turn to either Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak between the posts for the start of the new season.
Van der Sar's injury will be a major blow for Ferguson, who already needs to decide whether he has the men to replace Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Van der Sar, all of whom could be retiring at the season's end.
What!? Considering the way Sir Alex has been praising Ben Foster recently I'm not sure where the worry over that is, the injury seems to be a blow, but a blow that will allow Ben Foster to get a run of games and the chance to show what he's capable of. And still... What?! Given the fact that, other than VDS, none of the mentioned players were playing every single game last year, yes, Giggs was essential, but essential in small doses and Scholes played his part as well, but to suggest that we somehow need to figure out a strategy to replace them is a little silly, especially in an article talking of an injury to the keeper.
Which brings us to the rest of the Sir Alex quotes:
Ferguson also warned it would be foolish to write off United's 'Holy Trinity' of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.
He predicted they would all play their part in continuing the United success story, even though they are in their mid-30s.
He added: "People may say Giggs, Scholes and Neville are finished, that they've had their day. But that is a pretty dangerous assumption.
"Giggs has been out of this world in pre-season. I don't know how he does it - at 36 he still has so much energy, and an incredible change of pace to go past defenders.
"The only thing he does different now to when he started is yoga, and maybe that has helped prolong his career. But some people are just born that way.
"They seem capable of going on for ever. He still has that same desire to win things, but it's something you must have at Manchester United.
"You have to be able to fulfil the expectation of winning all the time - the only alternative is the exit door.
"People are also saying this is the last year for Scholes. But you have to remember he missed a lot of football last season and rushed himself back.
"As a result, he wasn't the same player. But he's been great in pre-season, too, and there's a lot of football left in him.
"Gary also suffered with injuries and I'm afraid that's the way it's going to be with him from now on.
"He's likely to get a lot of minor niggles, because his muscle arrangement is more tense than the other two and if I can get 25 games out of him I'll be very happy."
So there you go - don't write off Scholes, Giggs and Neville, like The Telegraph appear to want to. He also talks about the irreplaceableness of Ronaldo, bigs up some of our younger players and says how well pre-season is going, to avoid making this too long I won't quote them sections, but they worth reading.
Back to Van Der Sar, and most of the papers write him off till late September (here and here), as does the official Man United website. The Guardian only writes him off till the end of August though. Whether it's a misprint or they know something no one else does, who knows...
The Mirror seems obsessed with finding the most trivial stories and printing them. Today, Sven on Owen, and even he seems a little puzzled at being asked about it:
"I am very pleased to see Michael back and injury free," said Eriksson. "He has been unlucky with injuries and has been out more than he has played the last few years.
"Of course if he is fit and playing regularly he can play in the World Cup, but that is up to Capello."
"Ask Capello, not me..."
The Mail seems obsessed with printing the silliest transfer stories. Today, Evans to Barcelona:
The La Liga club sounded out a move for Nemanja Vidic earlier this summer but were given short shrift by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Now Barcelona are set to turn their attentions to Northern Ireland centre-back Evans, who enjoyed a prolonged spell in the United first team last season.
Evans, 21, proved a capable deputy when Rio Ferdinand and Vidic were injured.
Now Catalan giants Barcelona are plotting a £12million raid for the United star.
I can see that happening...
Finally, The Sun has a "United insider" to tell us that Beckham could be offered an ambassador's role when he retires from playing:
A United insider said: "It's something that has only been whispered at this stage but Beckham will always be part of the United family.
"He could do for us what Sir Bobby Charlton has done for us all these years.
"There are emerging markets all the time and there could come a time in the very near future when Becks' association with United would be renewed."
That really sounds like a done deal as well...
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