Fergie issues Premiership warning

Alex Ferguson has issued an ominous warning to the rest of the Premiership, insisting Manchester United are set for a new-year onslaught.

Ferguson’s men have made a poor start this season as a string of injuries to key players has taken its toll.

But the Scotsman claims he has been “keeping the situation in check” during their difficult start – and will launch a full-blown title assault with a fit squad at the end of the year.

He told The Guardian: “My thinking over the past few weeks was to operate on those players suffering with injury and get it over with.

“Take the poison now and hopefully stabilise the club, keep it in the frame and then around December time pick it up.”

United have suffered an unusually barren time in front of goal but Ferguson is confident in his first-choice strike pairing.

He added: “There is no magic wand so we’ve had to maintain the confidence of the team, maintain consistency and in the main we’ve dominated games, knowing fully that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud van Nistelrooy will come again and score goals.

“It’s been about keeping the situation in check. If I was to panic, given my experience at this club, there would be something wrong.”