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.

And despite enduring two miserable seasons of relative struggle in the Premiership and the Champions League, Ferguson is adamant his own side's qualities are equal to those of Jose Mourinho's men and the competition between them over the coming nine months will be closer than most imagine.

"I do not believe there is a great deal between ourselves and Chelsea," he said. "They are a very good team but so are we.

"They did have a fantastic season last year but it was an unusual one which you think they might find difficult to replicate.

"I know they have added a couple of players to help them cope with the number of tournaments they are in but I still do not believe there is much between the two teams."

The bookmakers, who usually know such things, disagree, installing Jose Mourinho's men as odds-on favourites to retain their crown and condemn United to three seasons without a title, bringing a chill to the spine of the older members of the Old Trafford support who remember the 26-year championship drought Ferguson ended in 1993.

With Malcolm Glazer's business plan reportedly demanding the bare minimum of a top three finish and at least one title every three seasons - and son and non-executive director Bryan arriving in the Far East yesterday to offer a visible presence - Ferguson is under pressure equivalent to any of his 19 years in charge.

But it is the type of situation in which the Scot and his team thrive, and there is no sign things are about to change this year.

"Our club has always had high expectations from ourselves, the fans and people outside the club," he said.

"Each season, whether you have won something or not, there is always pressure.

"The nature of the competition has improved over the last three seasons because Chelsea only lost one match last season and Arsenal didn't lose at all the year before.

"The bar has been raised but the challenge it presents is perfect for Manchester United."

Ronaldo was expected to fly out 24 hours behind his team-mates after travelling home to visit his seriously ill father but now seems increasingly likely to miss the tour altogether, given the pointless nature of a 26-hour return trip should his further delayed departure be put back any more.

While Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and company received the usual enthusiastic reception from fans at Hong Kong airport, most of the attention understandably centred around the two Asian players in the United party.

Ferguson has promised Chinese striker Dong Fangzhou a first Red Devils appearance in Tuesday's encounter with Beijing Hyundai, while €5.7m midfielder Park Ji-Sung is certain to play some part against the Hong Kong national side today.

In the aftermath of the South Korean's move from PSV Eindhoven, some critics claimed the deal had more to do with United's commercial aspirations than the player's ability.

But in two 45-minute friendly appearances at Clyde and Peterborough, Park has provided a forceful case for being included in Ferguson's line-up for the opening Barclays Premiership clash at Everton on August 13 and the United boss is delighted with his contribution so far.