League priority exposes United problems

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has recently come out to assure fans that winning the Premier League is his “top priority”, after their grasp on the title slipped away in the final seconds of last season.

Ferguson was speaking in South Africa during United’s pre-season training tour, and with a bank of new signings expected to arrive at the club, his determination to win back the Premier League title is clear, even if they remain behind rivals City in the premier league betting.

Shinji Kagawa looks set to make a huge impact in the English top flight after his £17 million move from Borussia Dortmund, a transfer that confirms Ferguson’s desire to win the league yet again.

But to come out and state that the Premier League is his top priority is an odd move for a manager so well versed in claiming the domestic title. Having won the Premier League 12 times with United, it should be assumed that another title success is the minimum the club requires.

However, in claiming the league is his top priority, Ferguson has indirectly confirmed that other goals may be beyond his reach. Manchester City have certainly raised the bar after their last-gasp title win last May, and United will need to up their game just to match them.

What Ferguson is saying when he claims the league is his priority is that European success is currently out of reach, while any FA or League Cup win would merely be a bonus, not a goal – something betfair betting markets will no doubt react to.

This will be frustrating for United fans so used to being top dogs across Europe, but if the club can’t remain champions of the English top flight, they have no chance of doing so abroad.