07 August,2011 07:50 AM IST | | AFP
Ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby, Utd boss Ferguson says he is not afraid of City's multi-million squad
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson lit the fuse ahead of an explosive Community Shield clash with Manchester City by warning his bitter rivals that even their financial muscle can't guarantee success in the Premier League.
Alex Ferguson
Ferguson initially seemed unconcerned when City's Abu Dhabi-based owners started lavishing vast sums on a host of big names three years ago.
But his dismissive jibes about dealing with "noisy neighbours" have been replaced by an awareness that Roberto Mancini's expensively assembled team are now a serious threat.
Now Ferguson has paid City the ultimate back-handed compliment by starting his mind games before the season has even begun.
Manchester United players Rio Ferdinand (left), Ashley Young,
Anderson and Wayne Rooney during a public training session at
Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday. PIC/AFP
He chose the eve of this weekend's traditional curtain-raiser to issue a stern reminder that splashing the cash doesn't necessarily mean prizes will follow.
"We get this almost every year when clubs round about us buy, and that's how you view the importance of winning the league these days," Ferguson said. "Chelsea had this great spell of buying when Jose Mourinho first went there and we accepted that challenge," he added.
Sergio Aguero
City's record ufffd38 million signing will be among the substitutes at the start after suffering blisters while wearing the wrong size boots in training.
Gael Clichy
City paid Arsenal ufffd7mu00a0 to acquire the services of the highly rated French defender who is named in the starting line up.
Stefan Savic
The former Partizan Belgrade centre back cost City ufffd6m and is set to start in defence in Sunday's Manchester derby.
