Ferguson demands home rule

Alex Ferguson claims his Manchester United players face their biggest test as they bid to turn around their faltering Premiership…

Alex Ferguson claims his Manchester United players face their biggest test as they bid to turn around their faltering Premiership campaign.

Ferguson readily admits he has never been in as bad a situation as the one he is faced with now. The ailing champions go into today's high-noon showdown with Chelsea at Old Trafford sixth in the Premiership table after losing four times.

They are five points behind leaders Liverpool, who have played a game fewer, while this time last year they were eight points clear and fast disappearing into the distance.

Ferguson knows it will take something special from his players to transform their fortunes and land a fourth successive title. "I would say this is the biggest test for them," said the United manager. "I don't think I have been in this kind of situation before, not as bad as this.

READ MORE

"There is no question about it now, we have to get the show on the road. The frustrating part is, having done so well in Germany after Liverpool, we have taken a step back again. "The thing is we have to make sure we keep winning our games now. We're at the stage now where we must have victories."

By Ferguson's own reckoning, following Sunday's defeat at Arsenal, United can only afford to lose two more games if they are going to win the title.

The Reds have never won the championship when they have lost more than six league matches in a season. Blackburn lost seven times when they pipped United for the title in 1995, but Ferguson feels that will not be repeated. Despite the onerous task facing his players, Ferguson believes they can rise to this challenge.

"I don't think we can guarantee that there'll be more defeats than normal," he said. "We won't be looking at that as some sort of escape clause and we've got to realise the stats. The players can do it - there's no doubt about that.

"They have the ability and the character. These are the things you need in a situation like we are in now. The players always work hard. Training has been good and they always work on the training pitch. They have good character, so that part is not a problem."

One player whose character is being severely tested at the minute is Fabien Barthez. Barthez is under the microscope following his latest blunders at Highbury. Ferguson is expected to stick with Barthez against Chelsea and all eyes will be on the French goalkeeper to see how he reacts to those two costly mistakes.

If it is any comfort to Ferguson and Barthez, Chelsea, who have lost just three of their last 26 league visits to Old Trafford, are also under pressure coming into the game. Claudio Ranieri's future as manager is being questioned following Chelsea's disappointing start to the season and embarrassing UEFA Cup exit.

Chelsea's Mark Bosnich insists Barthez, his Manchester United goalkeeping successor, has the "resolve" to ensure his recent errors do not transform him into another Old Trafford outcast.

Bosnich, who moved to Chelsea at the start of this year after being frozen out of the United first team by Ferguson, is bitterly disappointed that a thigh injury prevents his first return to Old Trafford today.

However, he can empathise with the criticism that Barthez has received in the wake of his two costly mistakes against Arsenal, following on from previous errors against Deportivo la Coruna and Liverpool.

"Yes, it would have been interesting playing opposite Fab. I get on really well with him," Bosnich said. "There's no doubt he's going through a bad time. All goalkeepers go through this and make similar mistakes though.

"Fab has the resolve to come through this. Whether the manager will give him that opportunity, only Alex Ferguson knows.

"It doesn't help playing behind a defence that isn't the sort that United should have. It was exacerbated by selling Jaap Stam. But United are dangerous as a wounded animal. The Arsenal defeat will just fire them up."