Liverpool the team to beat, says Ferguson

ALEX FERGUSON has his big guns back for the Old Trafford clash with Southampton today — but the Manchester United boss thinks the target has changed.

Successive draws against Fulham and Aston Villa means United have failed to take full advantage of Arsenal's recent losing streak.

But even Arsene Wenger's team are playing catch-up now as Liverpool steal a march at the top of the table.

The Anfield outfit are four points clear of Arsenal and eight in front of United and, after failing to clinch the title since 1990, Ferguson believes Liverpool are now the team to beat.

''We have to look at Liverpool now not Arsenal,'' said Ferguson.

''For the second half of last season and most of this one Arsenal have been looking down from an ivory tower and talking very confidently.

''Now they are four points behind Liverpool and that makes an impact on the league. We could do with some more points, no question about that. In some cases we have made it easy for opponents, although our form overall has been quite good.''

While Ferguson's coolness towards Wenger is well known, he is an admirer of Anfield chief Gerard Houllier, visiting the Frenchman in hospital last year when he had been struck down by acute heart problems.

But that will not stop Ferguson from straining every sinew to prevent Liverpool regaining the crown which seemed theirs by right when the Scot first headed south from Aberdeen.

And so he is grateful to have David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Juan Veron, Fabien Barthez and Laurent Blanc back after they missed the midweek trip to Cyprus, and in particular top scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has spent the last month struggling to overcome a hamstring problem.

''Ruud is one of the best finishers I have ever had as a manager and his sheer physical presence is always a good thing to have in your team,'' said the United boss.

''We have been making a lot of chances in games and there is no one I would prefer to be on the end of them than Ruud.''

Ferguson's reward for leaving so many key figures at home in midweek was a 3-0 defeat, the largest United have suffered in Europe since 1994.

However, after seeing the effects a draining trek to Greece had on his troops last Saturday, he had no desire to put them through similar discomfort again, even if Cyprus proved a rather more relaxing adventure.

''The performance against Aston Villa last week was probably our poorest of the season,'' said Ferguson.

''We were really flat and that was caused by all the travelling we did for the Olympiakos game.

''It was a long trip and hard work but I believe we have managed to freshen people up this week, both those who stayed behind and those who came with us."

And history is on the Red Devils' side today as Old Trafford has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for Southampton of late.

The Saints have managed just a single draw from their last 10 visits to the Theatre of Dreams, conceding 11 goals on their previous two visits.