• Premier League

Ferguson believes Chelsea remain strong challengers

ESPNsoccernet staff
September 5, 2011
Sir Alex Ferguson expects Chelsea to remain strong contenders © PA Photos
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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Chelsea remain a "big threat" to the Red Devils' Premier League title defence.

United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen said last week he feels Chelsea's squad "is too old" to offer a real challenge for the top-flight crown this season, the Blues having finished nine points behind their Manchester rivals last term.

But Ferguson has told Inside United: "They have tremendous experience with the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, John Terry, Alex, Nicolas Anelka, Fernando Torres - there aren't any young kids in that team.

"But they don't have 36 or 37-year-olds like Ryan Giggs. Lampard and Drogba are 33, Anelka is 32 - not dissimilar to (Michael) Carrick and Rio Ferdinand, and we wouldn't be saying they are dead and buried, would we? So why should they be?

"They'll still be a big threat and we expect them to challenge."

United meet Chelsea at Old Trafford in the Premier League on September 18, and Ferguson is eagerly anticipating locking horns with new Blues manager Andre Villas-Boas, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti in the summer

Ferguson said: "He has a different set-up there to me, but I'm sure he'll get plenty of advice from others and he'll do fine. I don't know much about him.

"He's a young man and it's a big step coming into the Premier League from the Portuguese championship, but given time and support anything is possible."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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