Sir Alex Ferguson Threatens His United Stars With The Axe If They Get Complacent

Manchester United are four points clear of Liverpool and Chelsea at the top of the table with an extra cushion of two games in hand. They also have one of the most formidable defensive records in world football, having only conceded 11 times in 26 league games. In addition, they will have the luxury of contesting their bigger league games in the comfort of their Old Trafford home, where they have only dropped a deuce of points since the birth of the new campaign

But, for Sir Alex Ferguson, none of this so far matters as they are yet to pick up the Premier League crown.

The wise Scot - forever praised for his man-management skills - has today threatened his United stars with a spell on the sidelines should they start to display characteristics that suggest they feel the league is already won.

Speaking ahead of his side's clash with Newcastle United at St. James' Park, Ferguson is quoted by The Sun as saying, "Anyone thinking [that the league’s] over will have one go at it, it will be their last. We have plenty of bodies."

The statement comes just days after Ferguson guided his side to their second major trophy of the season, having secured the FIFA World Club Championship in December.

On Sunday, Manchester United defeated Tottenham Hotspur to claim the League Cup, meaning that there are only three tournaments left to win in order to record an unprecedented ‘quintuple’. Spurs gaffer Harry Redknapp sees no reason why they can't complete this feat.