Premiership: United to issue statement on Fergie's future

Manchester United are to issue a statement later today regarding manager Alex Ferguson's future at the club.

Ferguson was due to retire at the end of this season.

But it is believed he may be ready to make a u-turn and stay for another year, possibly longer.

Reports say the 60-year-old had hinted he would consider remaining in charge beyond his proposed retirement date in May.

At the start of December 2001, Manchester United had just lost their sixth Premiership game of the season and were 11 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

‘‘I think it’s almost impossible now ... it will take a miracle,’’ said Alex Ferguson, due to retire at the end of the season, of his club’s chances of retaining the title at the time.

Yet two months later, the champions ominously sit at the top of the pile again and reports suggest Ferguson could be set to stay on at Old Trafford.

Alex Ferguson's career at Old Trafford:

League championship: 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001.

FA Cup: 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999.

League Cup: 1992.

Champions League: 1999

Cup Winners’ Cup: 1991

United's rollercoaster season:

August 1 2001: Celtic triumph 4-3 at Old Trafford in Ryan Giggs’ testimonial, the first sign United’s fortress may not be quite as watertight as in previous years.

August 12: More eyebrows are raised when Liverpool tear holes in United’s defence in the first half of Liverpool’s 2-1 Charity Shield success at Cardiff. Most people just shrug their shoulders, remembering United had gone on to win the title after losing the previous three Charity Shields.

August 26: In a shock move, United agree to sell Jaap Stam, their rock in defence for the previous three years, to Lazio. Although Alex Ferguson claims the decision is purely a footballing one, few believe the Dutchman’s controversial autobiography has not speeded his departure from the club.

‘This has come out of the blue,’’ says Stam. ‘‘I have never wanted to leave, but United have agreed a fee with Lazio.’’

September 3: Unsettled striker Dwight Yorke arrives late for training, reportedly sparking a blazing row between him and Ferguson, fuelling speculation that the striker could soon be following Stam out of the Old Trafford exit door.

September 15: Newcastle beat United 4-3 at St James’ Park, with skipper Roy Keane dismissed after an ugly skirmish with Alan Shearer. More worryingly for the champions, however, Stam’s replacement Laurent Blanc looks unable to cope with the pace of Laurent Robert and Craig Bellamy.

September 26: United are beaten 2-1 by Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions League, conceding two goals in the last four minutes.

September 29: The poor run looks to be continuing as United concede three goals in the opening half at Tottenham, but they launch a stunning comeback to win 5-3.

October 17: Fabien Barthez and Wes Brown are guilty of dreadful blunders as Deportivo La Coruna beat United at Old Trafford to go top of Group G.

October 20: Further embarrassment three days later as Bolton stun United 2-1 in the Premiership at Old Trafford. Wes Brown makes a hash of a long ball to let in Michael Ricketts for the Trotters’ winner.

November 4: Barthez and Brown blunder again against Liverpool as the cup Treble winners cruise to a 3-1 victory at Anfield. After standing by his players over the last three months, this proves to be the final straw for Ferguson.

‘‘Maybe the players have been here too long, maybe their success is just being taken for granted and I’m not having that.’’

November 5: United’s second string are dumped out of the Worthington Cup 4-0 by Arsenal. Subsequent reports suggest midfielder Paul Scholes refused to travel down to Highbury with the rest of the squad.

November 6: In a frank interview, Ferguson admits he is finally feeling the strain of 15 years in the United hotseat. ‘‘I have been a manager for 28 years and the game has changed. It is infinitely more difficult these days. There is too much expectation, too much pressure. It has become very difficult for me to take.’’

November 9: Defender Mikael Silvestre criticises Ferguson’s faith in Old Trafford veteran Denis Irwin. The France international, a rival for Irwin’s full-back berth, complains: ‘‘Alex Ferguson repeatedly opts to play Denis Irwin and that is something I find really hard to cope with.’’

November 11: Talismanic skipper Keane is ruled out of the Republic of Ireland’s crunch World Cup play-off second leg in Iran, fuelling worries the 30-year-old may need an operation on his troublesome knee injury.

November 15: Fan and shareholder Keith Thorpe claims United’s players have been misfiring for the last 12 months and accuses them of ‘‘cherry-picking their performances’’ at club’s AGM.

November 17: Keane makes quick return and is named in starting line-up as United beat Leicester 2-0 at Old Trafford. Ferguson slams United’s critics, saying: ‘‘Empires crumble from within, but our foundations are rock solid.’’

November 20: Silvestre mistake allows Bayern Munich to equalise against United in Champions League draw in Germany.

November 25: Angry PSV Eindhoven president Harry van Raaj accuses Ferguson of contacting the Dutch club’s defender Kevin Hofland ‘‘behind our backs’’.

He says: ‘‘I’m not surprised at anything when that manager of Manchester United is involved because he has a reputation for doing these things.’’

November 25: Two more howlers from Barthez see United go down 3-1 at Arsenal.

December 1: Another wretched defensive performance sees United lose 3-0 to Chelsea at Old Trafford, their fifth Premiership defeat in 14 matches.

December 8: Another defeat, 1-0 at home to West Ham, who had lost their previous 11 league matches at Old Trafford. Some bookmakers push United out to 10-1 shots to win the Premiership title.

December 12: United rally to thrash Derby 5-0 at Old Trafford.

December 15: Ruud van Nistelrooy’s goal is enough to give United a second win in three days at Middlesbrough.

December 19: United legend Eric Cantona backs his former club to win the championship. He says: ‘‘In the 1995-96 season, when all the young players were coming through, we were nine points behind the leaders having played a game more with just 10 matches left. We still finished as champions.’’

United defender Gary Neville, though, claims his side are a ‘‘million miles’’ away from winning the title despite their mini-revival.

December 22: Van Nistelrooy fires a stunning hat-trick as United make it three wins from three when they thump Southampton 6-1 at Old Trafford. The champions are up to fourth in the table, six points behind leaders Newcastle.

December 24: David Beckham, left on the bench for several matches, claims every Manchester United player must believe they can still win the Premiership if they are going to triumph this season.

December 26: More festive cheer as van Nistelrooy nets again in the 2-0 win at Everton.

December 30: Giggs scores twice as the Red Devils win 3-2 at Fulham - their fifth successive victory.

Ferguson maintains his mind is ‘‘fixed on retiring’’ after reports suggest he may be considering a change of heart.

January 2 2002: United fire a warning to the rest of the title contenders that they are in no mood to surrender their crown without a fight as Newcastle go down 3-1 at Old Trafford. Magpies boss Bobby Robson immediately tips United to win the title.

He says: ‘‘The team that finishes above them will win the league, and I don’t think too many teams will finish above Manchester United.’’

January 4: United have an offer for Paolo di Canio rejected by West Ham.

January 6: Trailing 2-1 with just 13 minutes to go, United look like they are heading out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle against Aston Villa in round three. But substitute van Nistelrooy grabs a quickfire double which helps the 10-time winners to a 3-2 victory.

January 13: Despite trailing to James Beattie’s early goal, United hit back through van Nistelrooy, David Beckham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to go top of the Premiership for the first time in the season. United are made 4-5 favourites to win the title again.

January 19: Van Nistelrooy scores a penalty in the 2-1 defeat of Blackburn at Old Trafford to become the first player to score in eight successive Premier League games. In doing so, he also equals the club record set by one of the Busby Babes, Liam Whelan.

January 22: Liverpool end United’s nine-match winning run in the FA Cup and league with a 1-0 Premiership win at Old Trafford.

January 26: United are knocked out of the FA Cup at Middlesbrough 2-0 in the fourth round.

January 29: A hat-trick from Solskjaer sees United bounce back in style with a 4-0 win at Bolton.

February 2: Struggling Sunderland are beaten 4-1 at Old Trafford and United are two points clear at the top of the Premiership.

February 5: Reports suggest Ferguson could be about to change his mind on his decision to retire at the end of the season.