Fergie hails 'strongest' squad

Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the current Manchester United squad as the strongest he has had in over two decades in charge of the Premier League champions.
The first week of the Scot's 22nd year at the helm ended as so many of them have done before -- a convincing 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers lifting his team back into first place in the Premiership.
Two first half goals from Cristiano Ronaldo ensured that United did not miss Wayne Rooney as he started a four week lay-off with an ankle injury.
The convincing manner of United's victory underlined the strength of the squad Ferguson is assembling and the veteran manager's belief that more trophies are destined for Old Trafford.
"I believe this is the strongest squad I have ever had," said Ferguson. "So much so that I think I would be pushed to name my best overall team.
"This is a good young team coming together. They show great courage in their play and want to play right.
"They want to win something and I think they've got a good chance of doing that. They're playing well."
A 4-0 midweek European win over Dynamo Kiev, followed by the Blackburn success, was the perfect way for United to respond following the disappointment of allowing Arsenal a late equaliser at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.
Significantly, that Arsenal draw is now the only time in the last nine Premiership games that United have not collected all three points.
"I'm happy but we are just a bit disappointed about that last minute goal against Arsenal last week," said Ferguson. "That's disappointing for us.
"But you have to come back from those disappointments and we did that against Kiev and Blackburn."
Ronaldo's growing confidence in front of goal was underlined when he headed in a Ryan Giggs corner and then, barely a minute later, fastened on to a Carlos Tevez pass to double United's lead. Blackburn were reduced to ten men when David Dunn was sent off early in the second half.
"Blackburn are a good side and they hit the post early but in the end it was decided by two marvellous bits of football," Ferguson said. "Ronaldo's header was stunning and, after the first goal, our quick counter-attack killed them, that was decisive.
"The quickness of play was marvellous, a lovely ball in from Tevez and Cristiano finished well. The speed of our play was good.
"Our football deserved more goals, I think, but at the end of the day these derby games are tough and Blackburn are such a good side now, it was a satisfying performance and, obviously, result for us."
The victory also must have given Ferguson some degree of pleasure at the end of a week in which he has seen Hughes's name mentioned increasingly as his potential successor.
"Every time we play against an opponent managed by one of my old players, this crops all the time," said Ferguson of the speculation. "It's unfair on whoever is being discussed at the time.
"Also, it's trying to shove me out the door quicker than I want to go! I'm fit and healthy and as long as that continues, I want to go on."
Ferguson handed a rare start to Louis Saha and confirmed that the injury-prone Frenchman is likely to continue in the centre forward role while Rooney is out.
"Ronaldo is a possibility there," said Ferguson. "But Saha coming back in his first game did very well for us today. I took him off as a precaution in this situation and to have him ready for two weeks from now."
Hughes was left disappointed by his team switching off defensively twice in two minutes during the first half and also by a second half dismissal for Dunn whose two yellow cards reduced Rovers to ten men and ensured they had no realistic chance of forcing a draw.
"We lost David to a challenge which was mis-timed but which wasn't a poor challenge, wasn't a violent challenge," said Hughes. "He was unlucky to get booked in the first half in my view and we feel hard done by because in the second half we weren't able to show what a good team we are.
"We showed glimpses in the first half but we had it taken away from us in the second."