Ferguson says United can challenge Chelsea

ALEX FERGUSON remains convinced there is barely a gap between Manchester United and champions Chelsea.

As Ferguson watched his men being put through their paces in Hong Kong yesterday, as the Red Devils began their 10-day, four-match Far East tour, there was no sense of inferiority to a Chelsea side who have added Shaun Wright-Phillips, Asier Del Horno and Lassana Diarra to a squad which finished 18 points in front of them last term.

Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gabriel Heinze, Wes Brown and Quinton Fortune may have been absent for varying reasons but there was still well over €140 million of talent on show for the fans at the National Stadium, lusting after their first chance to see United in the flesh for four years.