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Subs will have a part to play, claims Ferguson

21/05/2008

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United's strength in depth will put the team in a better position to beat Chelsea than in last year's FA Cup final.

Tonight's Champions League final in Moscow is a rematch of the English domestic showpiece at Wembley last season - a game the Blues won 1-0 in extra time thanks to Didier Drogba's 116th-minute winner.

Despite winning the Premier League last term, a feat his team repeated this season, Ferguson set about strengthening his squad last summer - splashing out an estimated £60 million on players like Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Nani and Carlos Tevez.

And, as a result, the Old Trafford supremo said he will have more impact substitutes available to him than in last year's showdown with the Blues.

"We're fresher [than for the 2007 FA Cup final] and the ten-day preparation period has helped us," he said.

"That is the main difference from the FA Cup final - and when you're picking subs you hope at least three or four subs can make a real impact.

"We had no real reserves to change a game last year, but this year we have. We're in a stronger position."

Ferguson's team is relatively young, especially up front where the first-choice trio of Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are all in their early 20s.

But he claims he has "no fears" about his players being capable of carrying out their gameplan on the biggest stage in club football.

"We've had ten days of good preparation," he explained.

"We'll add more detail to our preparation than usual, which is normal in a situation like this, normal for a final.

"It requires a complete appraisal of your opponents, their strengths and weaknesses. But we have to try to play our best game and rely on our own players to do their jobs.

"If they do we'll be very proud and [the coaches'] high opinion of them will be justified.

"It's a very, very good Manchester United team emerging and I think they will only get better with age."