Majority of United fans back Berbatov

THE SPLIT, according to Alex Ferguson, is around 80 per cent in favour of Dimitar Berbatov, 20 per cent against. In other words, four out of five Manchester United supporters appreciate the striker’s gifts and see someone who can play football that should be set to music. The fifth just doesn’t get it.

The letters have been landing on Ferguson’s desk for over a year, categorising Berbatov’s perceived shortcomings and the sense that the most expensive footballer at Old Trafford is in danger of becoming a €34 million white elephant. There aren’t too many people who think a driver’s licence entitles them to question Lewis Hamilton’s handling of a steering wheel, but Old Trafford seats 75,000 at every game and there is a manager in every fan.

“I used to get letters from one supporter saying I was off my head because I didn’t play Steve Bruce at centre-forward,” Ferguson said yesterday. “I think it was Brucie writing it himself, or maybe his granny.”

Ferguson has admitted, however, Wayne Rooney’s replacement for the next two to three weeks, starting at home to Chelsea today, is still to confirm his promise. There have been only sporadic moments when the Bulgarian has dominated a game rather than decorated it.

Berbatov has expressed dissatisfaction with his performances. And the mail has stacked up on Ferguson’s desk.

“It’s maybe 80-20 in his favour,” the manager reported. “About 80 per cent of the fans recognise his abilities but when we sign a big player and he’s not scoring 50 goals a season, 16 overhead kicks included, we are always going to get dissenting voices somewhere along the line.”

The same occurred with Juan Sebastian Veron, another sublime passer who danced to a different beat. Veron recently topped a newspaper poll to find the Premier League’s biggest flop, but Ferguson will argue the Argentinian was nothing of the sort and Berbatov gets the same backing.

“Everyone’s got their favourites,” Ferguson said. “You are always going to get diverse views but in the main I think the supporters recognise his talent. That’s the one thing you cannot dismiss: his ability, his talent. It’s fantastic talent.”

United’s manager is encouraged by the Bulgarian “coming into form at the right time”, with eight goals in 11 starts since Christmas, a much more impressive statistic than the one telling us that none of his 12 goals this season has come against top-eight opposition.

Even so, Berbatov would not have been in today’s team had Rooney been fit and he has made only six starts in 21 Champions League games since his arrival from Spurs in September 2008.

“I don’t enjoy leaving him out,” Ferguson said. “The important thing is that I sit down with him and explain why, and it hasn’t been a problem. But now he’ll be in and we have to decide the best way of playing with him in terms of formation.”

The Italian Federico Macheda, who is fit after an injury-ravaged six months, will be among the substitutes against Chelsea, according to Ferguson, which means Berbatov will probably be the spearhead of a 4-3-2-1 formation.

“We can play him on his own up front. He’s proved that quite a few times; last year (against Internazionale) in Milan, for example. But what you need to have is good support for him,” added Ferguson.

There was certainly no sense of panic at the manager’s press briefing as he reflected on his best player being on crutches.

“Wayne is a loss,” he said. “You want all your best players available. But if you look at us this season it has not been the case.”

Seventeen United players have been injured for a month or longer. “We’ve been missing defenders all season and yet we’ve struggled through and stumbled along to a point where we’re a point ahead in the Premier League, we’ve got a quarter-final tie coming up against Bayern Munich with an away-goal advantage and we’ve already won the League Cup.

“So I don’t think there is any way the players are not going to let this upset them. They know the incentive of this match. They know the incentive of Wednesday (against Bayern at home). Do you think they are honestly worrying whether Wayne Rooney is going to cost them by not being there? Not at all. There’s enough ability in this team to win without two or three of our best players.”

Point made. Ferguson was also entitled to point out United had not done too badly while missing Ryan Giggs with a broken arm. The difference, though, is United are top-heavy with central midfielders. Furthermore, at 36 the club’s longest-serving player is used only sparingly.

A fit Rooney is an automatic pick and with Michael Owen and Daniel Welbeck out for the season, there will be a need for the 18-year-old Macheda to hit the ground running when he is called upon.