It seems Redknapp has also given up on 3rd spot, ati at some point they were title contenders! Our worst start in 50 years yet we look set to finish 3rd....Wenger needs to get the transfers right this time.

http://www.dailymail.co....Spurs-settle-fourth.html

SAF could have goofed with Rooney's case but he is definitely a better man manager than Mancini. That aside, this Balotelli fellow is a disgrace. He was literally chased by Murinho. Anyone who Mourinho can't handle must be quite a character. Very shameful for such a talent. Song was lucky to escape unhurt in what seemed like a career ending horrendous play.

The Rooney case was not perfect but I don't remember SAF begging him. He actually snookered the guy. He addressed a press conference where he came out as a concerned father who had been let down by the son. He actually said he had given up on the issue. Rooney had no option but to put pen to paper.

I'm sure you are conversant with the following cases:

Jaap Stam: Sold to Lazio at the beginning of the 2001–02 season, because Ferguson was annoyed by the allegations he had made in his autobiography Head to Head about himself and the club. At the time Jaap Stam was the best defender in Europe. He had been voted best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League.

David Beckham: And replaced him with a virtually unknown player by the name of.... eeeh... why I'm I forgetting his name?.... Oh, yes. Christiano Ronaldo!

Roy Keane: In Nov 2005 Roy Keane, who was sidelined with a broken foot was angered by United’s defeat at Middlesbrough, and castigated his team-mates in an interview. Ferguson reacted by cancelling Keane’s contract. He still one of the best midfielders Man U has ever heard.

Promoting "the kids": After finishing the 1994-95 season empty-handed, Ferguson sold Paul Ince, Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis and promoted unheralded youngsters Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers.

Norman Whiteside & Paul McGrath Despite both being huge fans’ favourites and two of the outstanding players of the United squad, Ferguson ignored supporter anger and sold both in 1989 due to concerns over their fitness and off-field lifestyle.

ManShiteh should just cut their losses and pay the man his dues...because I do not see any club buying Balotelli...and if they do, it would be interesting to know the details of the negotiations....I see a pay cut!!

@Maichblack..I totally digress!!

Yes you have quoted some examples and one thing for sure Alex Ferguson is not a great manager, he just has EONS behind him, great managers are Mourinho,Wenger,Ancelotti,Van Gaal,Bielsa, Ferguson just happens to have played many more games well we all know bout the Law of averages.

Man U just like many other teams have won the title by breaking the bank from Rio,Berbatov,Tevez,Rooney and the list goes on there is nothing great in that. People castigate Marion, but forget alltoo often Rooney was a problem child and what about Cantona isn't he still a legend at Ol Trafford..selective amnseia i call it, the world needs this type of players and i'd pay money to watch Balotelli anytime but not Rooney, nothing special there.

@Smano, it's a widely known fact Man u gets favoured by the media/TV, Man U is an English club, sadly Chelsea, Arsenal are not Tottenham had joined the ranks and as always Liverpool. So it takes a very BOLD referee to make some calls at OL Trafford and small wonder "foreign" referres seem not to have this problem, hence we saw Bilbao and the rest pulled Man U's pants down? forget about the half baked truths fergie keeps on giving, the fact is they enjoy a considerable support from the referres/FA and Mourinho told Mancini long-time it takes a considreble effort to wrestle the title from Man u not just on the pitch!!

@Ric Dees, so when Jose won 2 seasons in a row, what would you put that on?Roman's billions + Jose being a great man manager or that supposedly those two seasons none of the calls went our way? I get disgusted by the notion that Man Utd have won 19 titles due to referee decisions - that I just don't buy.I hope you were at The Bridge to watch the Wigan game.

Like Fergie says, those calls even out at the end of the season. I've not contested that we get decisions our way at OT most of the time, happens to most sides at their home most of the time, bring video technology, then let's see whether Wigan will win the title. Win a title is a sum of many variables, amongst which is getting some favourable calls in crunch matches. But it certainly does not account for even 5% of the ingredients required to win a title.

Barca get many calls to their favour in Europe. But I can guarantee they'd still and will still win several CL titles, with or without those calls. I'm all for video technology.

P.S. Man Utd would still have beaten QPR, with or without the red and the penalty. Guess we'll never know

@Maichblack..well i love voleyball infact i was a big fan of Karch Kiraly for a long-time (google him)so nothing wrong with that.

But i think i have struck a raw nerve question to @smano in simple language not emotive why the difference in Europe, or is it Man U players did not give their all?? Fact if it was in Europe Fulham would have been given a penalty,agaisnt QPR it would have been a yellow card for Ashley Young and it would have proved more nervous and difficult against 11 men if what we saw against 10 is anything to go by..so tell me why the huge difference..!!

Another titbit which team has been awarded MOST penalties this season? am sure we have all guessed Man U,and which team have been awarded the least well it's Wolves any co-relation, well they are 1st and last in the log..mmmhhh!!

In-fact Man U have been awarded the most penalties in Europe vis a vis other teams in their respective leagues more than even AC milan and Barcleona, or are Man U's forwards so great that they only way to stop them is fouling them!!
I rest my case!! so much for evening things out!!

10 man Liverpool survived and won it at the death against Blackburn. They are still a whooping 33pts behind Man U, and mind u they invested 100M last summer....they really failed in the name of buying overrated English talent. What is the way forward for this team???? Is Daglish the problem??

Today all eyes are at Vicente Calderon. If Real slip up, they might as well kiss the title goodbye.10 points reduced to 1 in a flash - who said City don't have hope? Mind you head to head is what counts in La Liga, and Real would have to have a perfect game at Camp Nou to get a win there.

The other big game is Dortmund hosting Bayern Munich. Really an action packed mid week. As for BPL, hope we can get a win at the DW...it'll be a tough match up but Utd know how to win playing badly. I see a draw though.

@Ricdees, you are a funny guy, and not funny like ha ha ha. Okay, so United have been given 10 penalties, 8 of which were converted. How then do you explain scoring 70 goals from open play? And it would have proved more nervous and difficult playing against 11 men? Do you know that the Red Devils have won 11 of their last 12 games, garnering 34 out of a probable 36 points, beating teams with 11 players?

Lastly, you may not agree that Sir Fergie is a great manager, clearly. But all those great managers you've mentioned have taken their hats off for Sir Alex. Now, we don't have to google that for you, do we? Like @smano says, back up your rhetorics with facts.