Fergie sets United 90-point target

Sir Alex Ferguson has set his Manchester United players a 90-point target if they are to win the Premier League for a fourth successive time.


United have endured a miserable couple of days since their shock defeat at Burnley.
Professional and amateur analysts have been offering Ferguson their advice, with most arguing it is time the Scot spent another chunk of the £80million received from Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo to bring in a speedy forward.
Yet Ferguson has no intention of abandoning his policy of sticking with the players he already has, although he realises there is not too much margin for error.
"I will not be buying anyone," he stressed.
"I made the point - and I am sure of it. This is a great group of players.
"Yes, we would like to score goals. We have to step up to the mark and I am quite confident we can do that."
United must step up to the mark tomorrow because, by Ferguson's reckoning, another 29 wins are needed to clinch an unprecedented fourth successive league championship.
"There is not much leeway," he said.
"Last season we had a points total of 90 and even though we say it is the most competitive league, you still have to think of that figure to be the winner.
"Liverpool got 86 last season, which is an exceptional total too, but they only finished second."
Clearly, in order to achieve the short-term objective of extending a nine-match winning sequence and the long-term aim of landing more silverware, United need to start finding the net on a regular basis.
So far, all they have been able to manage is a single Wayne Rooney goal, with both Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen failing to take opportunities to get off the mark.
Owen failed to make contact with two opportunities at Turf Moor. And, while Berbatov did have an effort cleared off the line in the 1-0 win over Birmingham on Sunday, his languid style has not endeared him to United's demanding supporters.
"It is his style of play rather than the effect he has on the game," observed Ferguson.
"He is a very good player and I am particularly happy with him.
"Dimitar would like to score a goal. Strikers always feel as if scoring goals is the most important thing. That is the case with him and Michael, who could also do with one.
"He should have scored two on Wednesday. His movement and positional play in the final third is very good.
"We are just waiting on that one goal because it will set him off. I am sure of that."
It is the little things that seem to be conspiring against United at present.
Michael Carrick's missed penalty against Burnley is a case in point. The England midfielder has never failed in numerous shoot-outs and fancied his chances even though both Owen and Rooney were happy to have a go.
Who gets the job now is anyone's guess. It is not a problem Ferguson had to bother about when Ronaldo was still at Old Trafford.
Similarly, early-season injuries have robbed United of so many experienced defenders that Rooney's name must have cropped up as a potential captain last weekend before the job eventually went to John O'Shea.
Rooney has never made any secret of his desire to do the job. It just was not the right time.
"A lot would love to be captain and it is possible Wayne will get it one day - but not at the moment," said Ferguson.
"I gave it to John O'Shea because he is the longest serving player."
Ferguson does at least have Nemanja Vidic back this weekend, although not Rio Ferdinand, who has been ruled out for another "three to four weeks" with the thigh injury he suffered in training last Saturday.
It means Ferdinand will miss United's clash with Arsenal next Saturday, plus almost certainly England's friendly with Slovenia on September 5 and the World Cup qualifier against Croatia four days later.
Still, there are a few positives to cling to, namely the form of £17million wide-man Antonio Valencia, who returns to his old club Wigan tomorrow having taken little time to make his presence felt at Old Trafford.
"Some players have come to Manchester United and taken to it like a duck to water," said Ferguson. "Some need time.
"I know Antonio will be all right. You can see the potential, particular in training sessions.
"He is quick, he is tough and he is a good crosser of the ball. He has areas he must develop and we have an idea how to go about that but the lad has a chance."