“I am not looking at equalling anyone. I think we should be looking at ourselves and this team has got a bit to go yet. That is more exciting for me and is the prospect that resonates with me far more than equalling others.”

- Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson claims he will get no satisfaction from equalling Liverpool’s record of 18 league titles, should United retain the Premier League against Arsenal on Saturday.

The United boss told his pre-match press conference: “For me, I am not looking at equalling anyone. I think we should be looking at ourselves and this team has got a bit to go yet.

“They could go on and win another five titles. That is more exciting for me and is the prospect that resonates with me far more than equalling others. The squad is young enough to win more titles and hopefully they can do it.”

As United legends Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville all approach the home straight of their careers, Sir Alex cannot help but compare his wise old heads with the current crop of youngsters at Old Trafford:

“We have got a lot of young players in the squad right now and that is healthy," he said. "Obviously we hope the dinosaurs like Giggs, Scholes and Neville will last another two years. It would be wonderful to think that because by that time I think the young players will have benefitted from it. But it is a very young squad

and we are excited by that.

“I try to think about what Giggs was like at that age, when Scholes and Neville were still learning with great potential. I think the younger ones like Welbeck, Evans, Gibson, Macheda and Rafael have the same potential, there's no question about that.

“They are also playing at a higher level than when Ryan, Gary and Paul came into the team so that makes it more difficult for them. We try to equate the circumstances of those players.”