- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER - Ferguson defends Wolves' team selection
- Date: 18th December 2009
- Summary: WOLFSBURG, GERMANY (DECEMBER 7, 2009) (REUTERS) MANCHESTER UNITED MIDFIELDER PAUL SCHOLES AT TRAINING STRIKER MICHAEL OWEN AT TRAINING
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA7E5J4XD4F9KCYWAD2RXL5M0XK
- Story Text: Sir Alex Ferguson weighs into the Wolves team selection controversy ahead of Manchester United's Premiership match against Fulham.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has defended Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Mick McCarthy for sending out a weakened side against the Premier League champions.
Wolves lost 3-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday (December 18) and McCarthy was widely criticised and asked by the Premier League to explain why he had made 10 changes to the team that had beaten Tottenham Hotspur the previous Saturday.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger added his voice to the debate by saying he now only had 37 games in which to compete with United, instead of 38, because of McCarthy's actions.
"The Wolves team that played on Tuesday did exactly what a lot of teams have been doing to us recently," Ferguson told reporters.
"Getting against us, never giving us a minute on the ball, working their socks off. To my mind, there wasn't any discernible difference in the Wolves team we could've played and did play."
United head into the weekend three points behind Premiership pace-setters Chelsea and Ferguson said as many as five clubs could now be in contention for the title right to the finish after United lost 1-0 to Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday.
"The form of Aston Villa now, you have to look over your shoulder and say, wait a minute," he said.
"Their performance last week, ok we missed some chances but in general, it was a very very solid performance from them, very powerful performance from them. They've got a lot of experience now in the right quarters of the team. So Tottenham gets a win during the week, they're now challenging that top group so it's a tough league."
Manchester United travel to meet a Fulham team currently ninth on the competition ladder. But the United boss will not be lacking respect for the job his counterpart Roy Hodgson has done at Craven Cottage, most recently in guiding Fulham into the last 32 of the Europa League.
"Who'd have thought that Fulham, not only would they go into Europe and qualify for the later stages but also make five changes on Wednesday night and still win," Ferguson said.
"It's a remarkable turnaround since Roy's gone there and it's a very difficult game for anyone going there now." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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