Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Fergie: We won't be underdogs in my lifetime
UNITED will stay the football kings of Manchester - as long as Sir Alex Ferguson is alive!
That was the Reds manager's cheeky message to the big-spending Blues ahead of tomorrow's Old Trafford derby showdown.
Sir Alex - asked if he ever saw a time when the champions would be derby underdogs - replied: "Not in my life-time."
The Eastlands revolution, colossal summer spending and 100 per cent start has upped the ante in the local dust-up, but City's challenge hasn't got under Fergie's skin - apart from the controversial `Welcome to Manchester' Carlos Tevez billboard.
"The only thing that has upset us is that stupid poster," Sir Alex said.
"It showed an arrogance. They could have done without that. It was naughty.
"It showed a cockiness that wasn't required at the time because they hadn't done anything. The season hadn't even started.
"Maybe Mark Hughes didn't know anything about it, I'm pretty sure about that. It probably came to his attention when I mentioned it.
"He probably didn't even know about it. Mark was put in a position and asked about it and he says, what was his quote? 'Just a wee bit of devilment, nothing serious'.
“He tried to brush it off. I think it was a wee bit arrogant. They didn't need to do that. It was stupid. But they did it.”
Was it done deliberately to rile United? “I'm sure of that,” he replied.
Despite City's efforts to break into the Big Four Ferguson's target remains solely centred on winning an historic fourth league title in a row.
“What other things they are doing doesn't particularly worry me,” he added.
“The thing you have to concern yourself with, for our part, is who is going to win the league? That is the thing.
“People talk about trying to get into the top four. That is not the question. The question is who is the No1.
“You talk about top fours but for us, you have to be No1. That is the aim. That is my challenge.
“That is what you have to do at this club. We have to be No1, whether it is City or Liverpool who are there or not.
“My job is to be No1.”
Wayne Rooney agreed: “It's not just about who you buy and how much you spend. I'm confident we'll see off City's threat.
“We have the experience of winning big trophies and a manager who has been there, seen it and done it.”
