Soccer: Taylor backs United to carry on winning

Peter Taylor has sent a chilling message to the rest of the Premiership in predicting Manchester United will dominate domestic football in this country for many more seasons.

The Leicester boss believes the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds are improving but are still playing catch-up and are a long way off being on a par with Alex Ferguson’s side.

Taylor, whose side visit Old Trafford on Saturday, said: "Can I see anyone catching United? Not in the immediate future because they are the most consistent team in the Premiership.

"They have a lot of players who are experienced but are still only in the 24-25 age group and will be around for many years to come.

"Liverpool, Leeds, Chelsea and Arsenal are all going to keep improving. The Leeds squad is getting stronger and stronger and I can see them getting a bit close to United in two or three years’ time.

"But at the moment I can’t see anyone doing it. I can’t see who is going to pip them for the championship and I am talking about this season, next season and probably the one after that."

Taylor believes United can continue to prosper even after Ferguson’s retirement at the end of next season.

He said: "It’s not as if the players are going to say 'I want to go', because it’s the best club. They’ve grown up with Alex but they’ve also grown up with the club.

"All the other clubs can do is keep trying to match United - but there are other great players coming through, like Wes Brown, who can carry on from the current crop."

Taylor has backed Ferguson’s decision to leave David Beckham out of his side to face Sturm Graz in Tuesday’s Champions League match to avoid the risk of him being suspended for the quarter-finals.

He said: "Every time I have seen Beckham play he has looked good and I think Alex left him out on Tuesday so he wouldn’t risk getting the booking that would mean him missing the quarter-final first leg.

"He’s so important for them and it wasn’t a case of leaving him out for any other reason.

"I guarantee that if United had to win that game and Beckham did not have the suspension threat hanging over him then he would have played him. He’s so important not to lose for the next stage of the competition."

Taylor will have two hats on at Old Trafford on Saturday - as Foxes manager but also as an England coach hoping Beckham is in the form that can bring success in the World Cup qualifiers against Finland and Albania.