ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:ALEX FERGUSON believes Arsenal will visit Old Trafford today as credible challengers for the Premier League title, despite identifying a lack of experience in Arsene Wenger's team.

The Scot has been impressed by Arsenal’s impeccable start to the season, but he also expressed confidence that his relationship with Wenger will not revert to the hostilities of the past should the two clubs become locked in an authentic title fight.

Arsenal’s failure to sustain a challenge in the last few seasons has been perceived by some, most notably Wenger himself, as one of the reasons why the two managers have gone from being bitter enemies to sharing a mutual respect, but Ferguson shook his head when that was put to him.

“I don’t agree with that,” the United manager said. “I just think the personalities of both teams have changed. When Arsene first came to Arsenal there were some feisty things going on between the clubs and that probably transferred to both managers, but I think the character of the teams has changed now. We don’t have a Roy Keane, they don’t have a Patrick Vieira – both volatile characters, dominant figures.

“The other thing is that Arsene and I have been here for such a long time now it’s hard to imagine we were not going to have one or two arguments. Longevity brings that, whereas we have loads of situations now where new managers come in and vanish after a couple of years. It’s just the two of us, and we’ll probably ride out in the sunset together.”

Ferguson was at the Emirates on Wednesday to see Arsenal ease past Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers and he believes Wenger’s team look considerably stronger than last season.

“Their 6-1 result at Everton has been the highlight of the season so far,” he said. “That was an amazing result. Nobody has scored six goals at Everton in my time here. And then [they scored] four goals against Portsmouth. So it’s been a good start for them.

“Arsenal have to make up that ground from last season and maybe they lack the experience of ourselves and Liverpool and Chelsea, but they will be there at the end of the season.”

Nonetheless, Ferguson is encouraged by the manner in which his team dismantled Arsenal in the semi-final of last season’s Champions League, describing the 3-1 away victory in the second leg as their best performance of the season. “I don’t think anyone would have lived with us that night,” he said.

United’s hopes of another successful season will also be enhanced by the return of Owen Hargreaves from major surgery on both knees.

Hargreaves, who has suffered from chronic tendinitis problems, is due back in Manchester on September 23rd after 10 months of intensive rehabilitation work in the United States. “We are certain he will be fit, but the difficult part will be getting him back into the football side of things,” Ferguson said.”

Ferguson also backed Arsene Wenger’s controversial decision to sell Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City.

“One thing Arsene Wenger has done fantastically well is sell at the right time. He has always known the right time for a player to leave and he has done it again with Adebayor and Toure.

“It is not easy to manage that kind of change but I don’t think the level of ability has changed one bit and he seems to have a good harmony in the squad.”

Ferguson must decide whether to make changes today, knowing Michael Carrick and Anderson will be desperate to make an impact after missing last week’s five-goal rout of Wigan.

In addition, both Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen got their names on the scoresheet for the first time this season, although both trail Wayne Rooney by three after the England man’s double took his United tally to 101.

“I don’t really pay attention to that kind of achievement,” said Ferguson.

“But he is young and his performance level is getting better, which is what you would expect.

“Wayne is capable of improving his goalscoring level and hopefully he goes on to get more.”

With United trailing three clubs, including Arsenal, who have 100 per cent records, Ferguson is keen to improve his side’s record against the other ‘big four’ clubs after they struggled struggled against their rivals last season, registering just one win in six outings.

“We dropped six points to Liverpool, four to Arsenal and two to Chelsea,” he reflected. “We need to address that and do better. One opportunity comes along tomorrow. We have lost one game and we cannot afford to lose another.”

Guardian Service