Premier League |
Sir Alex Ferguson has tipped Chelsea to be the main threat to Manchester United's dream of completing an historic title four-timer.
United visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday looking to close the two-point gap Carlo Ancelotti's team have opened on the champions.
And, although Arsenal have also enjoyed a fine start to the campaign and Manchester City have squeezed into the top four after their summer spending splurge, Ferguson feels it will be a meeting between England's top two.
After going through four managers in two seasons, it was felt Ancelotti might have a tough job settling Chelsea, particularly as he has no previous experience of managing in England.
"It's looking that way," he told Inside United. "It seems they will be the ones to get in front of."
However, after tweaking their tactics to get the best out of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, Ancelotti has enjoyed an excellent start to Premier League life.
"It is a very experienced team," said Ferguson.
"I said last year it is a team that can only improve results by the system they adopt.
"Ancelotti has brought in the system he used at AC Milan, with the diamond in the middle of the pitch.
"It is hard to break down when you get into their third because they have got bodies compacted into the central area of the pitch.
"Jose Mourinho played one up and five in the middle of the park - that also made Chelsea very difficult to beat, but in a different way to what Ancelotti is doing.
"Ancelotti's got the two strikers, and that is a major change compared to Luiz Felipe Scolari and Claudio Ranieri."


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Your Comments
glorygloryMU (Manchester United fan)
"delboyzola, Chelsea fan...i agree that we are not as good as last season but this season, but anyhow we still in top two of the league..did any of your best players leave last season??answer is NO..can u imagine if u lost lampard and drogba, what is the consequences to your BULU's team??same goes to us whr we lost CR and tevez n hopefully by tis sunday we will be able to prove that we can cope without them.."
joec8 (Sheffield Wednesday fan)
"You'd think that Chelsea will walk it, but as Ancelotti has proven at Milan, when the steam runs out, he doesn't have a plan B, or any way of bolstering or altering the squad. I think his lack of a Plan B and the African Nations could be their downfall. However. United just don't have that cutting edge going forward anymore. That lack of creativity could also be their downfall. You kind of know you're in trouble when, like last night, your most creative player is GARY NEVILLE. January just HAS to be Fergie shaping up his squad with a player that can dictate the whole game, and provide for the front men. Rooney and Berbatov can't keep creating, because they need to be on the shoulder tapping in the goals."
khumbo55 (Arsenal fan)
"the good thing is that Manure and cheslki have dropped point vital points as early as most of the top 7 teams which makes the title race very interesting "
l33tshane (Celtic fan)
"from a neutral point of view, its between man utd and chelsea this season. but i think chelsea will edge it. can't wait for this sunday :-)"
delboyzola (Chelsea fan)
"glorygloryMU (Manchester United fan), whateva it is, im sure the BULU's are not as GOOD as what those ppl are saying...there............glory glory you seem to be missing the point, Man U is not as good as previous season either, you have squeaked all 3 points in a few games you certainly did not deserve it in, had the ref not sent of the sunderland player you were not going to get all 3, I think you need to pipe down about Chelsea when it is your own team who is not as good as people say"
zuluisgrate (Nottingham Forest fan)
"Chelsea will win it this year for me - they're very experienced but not to the point of having worn out legs (Shevchenko anyone?). They're also the only team from the top four not to lose any key players over the summer. I think the team spirit there is very high, no doubt positively influenced by Terry and Lampard."
mikethetank (Manchester United fan)
"zzkto66 - What?"
soeren79 (Manchester United fan)
"United or Chelsea will win it, simply because they are the better most experienced squads. Which one of them who will come out on top is hard to see. Chelsea seem to be the team in form right now, though.
Arsenal should finish third. They are good, play beautifully, but they lack experience, and could fade out a bit like last year.
Liverpool just isn't good enough. already lost too many games, in general they lack heart and commitment, it seems. They rolled over against Fulham for sure. And they lost Xabi alonso and brought in a sicknote replacement. If they finish fourth ahead of Man City and Tottenham, they should be more than happy. "
Goonerz_Unite (Arsenal fan)
"yangguo (Manchester United fan) Actually it was the beginning of the season that cost us. We actually had one of the best run of games compared to any of the top four in the latter part of the season when we went 26 games unbeaten."
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