United have found hunger again, says Ferguson

ALEX FERGUSON believes his side have rediscovered the focus that can turn them back into champions again.

After a decade of glory, last year’s shocking capitulation left the Old Trafford chief to speculate that the hunger had gone out of his team.

Those fears have consistently been echoed by skipper Roy Keane, who on the eve of a new campaign has again questioned the desire of a team who have won every honour in the game and accumulated wealth beyond their wildest dreams. But, two days before United serve their penance for a dismal third-place finish last term and head to Hungary for an unwanted Champions League qualifier, Ferguson can feel the spark returning.

“There is a desire among the squad to make amends for last season,” said the Manchester United boss. “They have a hunger about them and they are well focused. That’s very important because when they are focused, they are very difficult to beat.”

A first-half Ruud van Nistelrooy brace was enough to wrap up a comfortable win over Boca Juniors in an ill-tempered finale to the pre-season campaign. Now it is onto Hungary, where the 1999 Champions League winners launch their trophy tilt with a first-leg clash against rookies Zalagaerszegi in Budapest.

Ferguson’s planning will almost certainly not involve £30m Rio Ferdinand, who limped out of his Old Trafford debut after just 25 minutes.

The world’s most expensive defender sprained his ankle after landing awkwardly as he jumped to avoid the on-rushing Roy Carroll and the immediate worry was that he might have sustained ligament damage. The former Leeds player was unable to put any weight on his foot as he was helped off the pitch but those initial concerns do appear to have been calmed, although Ferguson admits his newest recruit faces a race against time to make Saturday’s Premier League opener against newly-promoted West Brom.

French keeper Fabien Barthez is also a doubt, having sat out his third successive game with a thigh muscle injury. Roy Carroll is automatic deputy in goal, while John O’Shea is likely to be given the nod to replace Ferdinand after teaming up with Laurent Blanc on the England man’s departure.

Ferguson must decide which of his midfield players starts the campaign.

Juan Sebastian Veron and Paul Scholes were seen as the outsiders in a six-man race, but both enhanced their chances with fine individual displays.

Veron capped an excellent pre-season build-up by setting up van Nistelrooy’s first with a superb lob, while the feisty Scholes unhinged the visitors so badly with his tackling that Carlos Tevez was sent-off for elbowing Scholes’ face.