Sir Alex Ferguson(credit:
Ryu Voelkel)
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes Chelsea’s transfer dealings in the summer could prevent them from winning the Premier League.
The reigning Premier League champions sold Ricardo Carvalho and Deco during the summer months, and also allowed the likes of Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Juliano Belletti to walk away when their contract expired.
Chelsea still managed to make a storming start to the season, but a massive slump in form has coincided with the loss of several key players through injury, most notable John Terry, Alex and Frank Lampard.
And Ferguson believes it is no coincidence that the Blues’ poor form has come at a time when their squad has been stretched.
The Scot, whose side face Chelsea this weekend, said: “Ballack's contract came to an end. Belletti's contract came to an end.
“They have been replacing these players with younger ones such as [Danny] Sturridge and the young boy [Josh] McEachran.
“So maybe that's why their results have been erratic. Their plan was always to start introducing younger players and I think that's a good thing but it can backfire if you get injuries.
He added: “You need big squads these days because the number of matches and the intensity of matches does produce injuries. There's no question that having a big squad helps.”
United head into the game on the back of a 1-0 win over title rivals Arsenal, and Ferguson is confident his side can build on that result by ending an eight-year wait for a victory at Stamford Bridge.
He said: “We used to have a terrific record at Chelsea. We haven't won there for eight years, but it's a big game for us and we'll be ready for it. We couldn't get there sooner.
“We've got good players and they have all had big-game experience for years now. It's not as if it is new to them. Their experience is very important and the desire is still there with this club. All our players have good desire to win matches.”