ALEX FERGUSON is unconcerned by Manchester United's failure to set the early pace in the Premier League because he believes his team are more than capable of coming from behind to retain the title.
United trail the leaders, Liverpool, by eight points with a game in hand but Ferguson is confident in his players' ability to win him the Premier League for an 11th time because of the way the fixtures have fallen in the second half of the season and the experience and depth of his squad.
Ferguson said he had always expected to be off the top at this stage because United missed a league game in August to participate in the Uefa Super Cup. His side will miss another match in December, when they travel to Japan to play in the Fifa Club World Cup, so the manager has been preparing since the start of the campaign to play catch-up.
"That's no problem for me, absolutely no problem," he said. "I think we've got the squad and the ability to get back among the teams in front of us."
Ferguson brushed aside fears of fatigue in the second half of the season, when United will have to squeeze in those two missed fixtures at home to Fulham and Wigan, and singled out the summer signing of Dimitar Berbatov as a particular reason to be optimistic about his side's championship chances.
"There will be certain obstacles in our way this season, notably the two games we have to make up," he said. "But we have a lot of experience within our squad. We've added Berbatov to the squad, which should give us even more opportunities to make sure we're able to change and stay fresh.
Berbatov's arrival from Tottenham for €38.8 million has given Ferguson arguably the league's finest selection of forwards, the Bulgaria international joining Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
Berbatov's brilliance set up Ronaldo's second goal in Wednesday's 2-0 victory at home to West Ham United and Tevez has been assured by Ferguson that he remains an integral part of the squad even though the Argentinian has failed to start for United in seven of the 11 games since Berbatov came.
Tomorrow United are at home to the surprise package in the current top five, Hull City, before facing Celtic in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Ferguson has pencilled in Ben Foster to start for the first time this season in midweek as he prepares for life without his number one goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, who is 38. Tomasz Kuszczak got the nod against West Ham, when the Dutchman was rested. "They will all get their minutes on the clock," said Ferguson.
