• Premier League

Ferguson: Beware wounded United

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Manchester City that his side will be unrelenting in their pursuit of the Premier League title this season.

Roberto Mancini's side snatched the title in stoppage time on a dramatic final day of the season, but Ferguson is confident United will bounce back and regain the title.

Ferguson pointed to 1999, when his side won the Treble following Arsenal's title success the previous season, as proof that a wounded United will be dangerous.

"If you look back over different periods, you see we recover," Ferguson said. "When Arsenal won the title from us in 1998 we went and won the Treble the next year. We accepted that challenge and did something about it.

"Then Chelsea came along and got off to a flyer in the league for the first two years. We changed our pre-season a little to make sure we got off to quick starts. That allowed us to get the title back.

"That's happened three times in the last 14 or 15 years. Recovery is so important and the same applies this season. There's not any difference. It will be special but no more special than in previous years. We want to recover the title. That's our priority No. 1 - to win the title back."

Ryan Giggs, who, along with team-mate Tom Cleverley misses United's pre-season tour of South Africa in order to play at London 2012, has echoed his manager's views.

"It is always a challenge at United whether you are defending the title or are trying to win it back," he said.

"Next season will be the same, we will be more determined than ever to try and win the Premier League back. It is up to us to try and go one better."

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