Ferguson Favours Pep for United Job

Sir Alex Ferguson is understood to now favour Pep Guardiola as his eventual successor at Manchester United.

On Tuesday, the club's vice-chairman Ed Woodward said that the Old Trafford hierarchy know what "type of manager" will succeed Ferguson, while it was reported in the Spanish press in the summer that Ferguson had met Guardiola in New York.

ESPN has learnt, however, that chief executive David Gill and a member of the Glazer family also met the former Barcelona manager, who left his role at the Camp Nou after four successful years, at that time.

While a United source said that the meeting was "informal", the future is understood to have been discussed.

For his part, Guardiola is known to view United as a particularly attractive proposition. Although he retains interest in Chelsea, AC Milan and Bayern Munich, the Catalan is said to find the sense of history and atmosphere at Old Trafford especially enticing.

In his entire Barcelona career as both a player and manager, Guardiola - who, as a player, was targeted by Ferguson but ultimately signed for Brescia - faced United more than any other English side, and a Catalan source said the club have always fascinated him.

Ferguson and United do not just see Guardiola as one of the few coaches with the required strength of personality to take on such a massive job after the Scot eventually retires, but also an ideal fit given his commitment to both youth and attacking football.

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has previously been seen as Ferguson's successor-in-waiting but, although the Red Devils manager retains a good relationship with the Portuguese, other members of the club's hierarchy - particularly Bobby Charlton - are said to be less keen due to a perceived short-term approach.

While the expected date of Ferguson's retirement remains, as ever, undetermined, the manager is widely known to want a significant say in who succeeds him and for the necessary structures to be put in place beforehand for a seamless transition.

When Ferguson was last expected to retire in 2002, only to perform a U-turn, he expressed his dismay that the club had lined up Sven Goran-Eriksson. The United boss criticised the Swede for "not changing much" at his teams.

He is now determined to ensure there is no repeat of that situation and that the right person is in place to prolong his legacy.

On Tuesday, chief executive Woodward said: "We have a view as to what type of manager we want and how and when we'll go about it. But it's in the drawer and long may it stay in the drawer."

Van Persie and Tiote Escape Charge

The FA will not be charging Manchester United's Robin van Persie over an alleged elbow on Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye in their Premier League game at the Sports Direct Arena on Sunday.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was angered by the challenge, which happened off the ball, and called for the FA to investigate it.

But the matter has not been taken further after match referee Howard Webb reviewed footage of the incident and said he did not consider it to have been violent conduct.

The FA also said no action would be taken against Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote, who appeared to stamp on Tom Cleverley's leg.

Speaking after his side's 3-0 defeat, Pardew said: "He [Van Persie] has looked at Yohan and he has elbowed him, and I think that perhaps needs to be looked at if I am honest.

"There's a bit of history from last year [an incident involving Van Persie and goalkeeper Tim Krul] and I don't know if Robin has been caught up in that, but that was just a little bit unsavoury.

"I actually thought Yohan wouldn't have gone down if he hadn't done something. I didn't see it myself, but I have obviously seen it on the replay and it looks like he has looked at him and put his elbow there."

Fergie: RVP can Better Last Season's Tally

Sir Alex Ferguson "would love" Robin van Persie to top last season's tally of 37 goals and believes that Manchester United's chances of success this season could depend on the Dutchman and Wayne Rooney both proving prolific.

The pair were the top scorers in the Premier League last season and scored 72 goals in all competitions between them, with Rooney, 26, getting 35 for United. 

The England international is yet to open his account for the current campaign but Van Persie, 29, has seven goals in six starts since leaving Arsenal for Old Trafford.

The Netherlands international enjoyed a career-best goal return last season and Ferguson hopes he can improve upon it this year.

"I would love that to happen," Ferguson said. "The refreshing thing for me is Robin's doing extra work in training because he's not had many pre-season games.

"It's quite remarkable considering he's got seven goals. I'm pleased with that and I think his fitness will improve even more."

Rooney has made two starts since returning after sustaining a deep gash to his thigh in August's 3-2 win over Fulham.

But he could begin a league game for the first time since United's August 20 defeat to Everton when they travel to Newcastle on Sunday.

And Ferguson hopes that he can join his team-mate Van Persie as a regular on the scoresheet.

"I think that, in my experience, where we are at the moment you need two strikers who are going to get you over 20 goals a season," Ferguson said. "If you get that, you definitely have a really good chance."

Rooney created both of Van Persie's two goals in Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League win over Cluj, but while the Dutchman only has one assist for United, Ferguson believes his new signing is just as capable of being a supplier as a scorer.

"He is a good passer of the ball," he added. "I think he's got good vision in his passing, too. The goal he made last week for [Shinji] Kagawa against Tottenham is evidence of his passing ability."

Evans Available for Newcastle Clash

Jonny Evans has been passed fit to take his place in Manchester United's defence at Newcastle on Sunday. The centre-back sustained a dead leg in last week's 3-2 defeat to Tottenham and limped off in the 2-1 win over Cluj in the Champions League on Tuesday. 

But Sir Alex Ferguson, who only has one other fully fit central defender, confirmed Evans is available to partner Rio Ferdinand at the Sports Direct Arena.

Had the Northern Irishman been out, then either midfielder Michael Carrick would have had to play in defence or 21-year-old Scott Wootton would have been given a Premier League debut.

Instead, the United manager expects his defensive injury crisis to ease with the news that Chris Smalling, who had broken a metatarsal bone in his foot, has resumed training.

The England international will not be available to face Newcastle but is on the comeback trail.

"Jonny Evans is okay," Ferguson said. "He had a dead leg that he picked up on Saturday against Tottenham and we just took him off towards the end [in Romania].

"Smalling has started training on the football side and that helps us particularly as we have problem at centre-back. [Phil] Jones is still out."

United will welcome back three experienced midfielders on Sunday with Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Carrick all returning to the squad.

Scholes was rested for the trip to Cluj while Giggs and Carrick were sidelined by a virus.

Ferguson also hopes that Ashley Young, who has been out for a month with a knee problem, could be available for Stoke's trip to Old Trafford on October 20.

He added: "Young will start training while the internationals are on, particularly in the second week, and could at a stretch be back for the Stoke game."

'Fair' Price Sought for Reported Man Utd Target

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway will demand a "fair" price for reported Manchester United target Tom Ince.

United are said to be keen on Ince, 20, with the club linked with making a £4 million bid for his services in the January transfer window.

Ince, the son of former Red Devils midfielder Paul, has made 40 Championship appearances for Blackpool, scoring 12 times, and he won his first cap at England Under-21 level last month.

Holloway is confident the future is bright for the attacking midfielder, but is keen for him to continue his development at Bloomfield Road for the time being.

He said in the Sun: "I can't keep our players, but I'm working with them to get them to a United or an Arsenal.

"If we are not successful this year Tom may get there before I can, so do I want to stand in his way? Probably not. But we deserve a fair amount of money for him.

"I don't think (Alex) Oxlade-Chamberlain and (Theo) Walcott are better than him. If Arsenal had bought him, he would be playing for England now."

Rooney: We Must Stop Falling Behind

Wayne Rooney has warned his Manchester United team-mates that they must put an end to their run of falling behind in games after doing so yet again in Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League win over CFR Cluj.

Despite Sir Alex Ferguson insisting that the problem had been sorted, Pantelis Kapetanos' 14th minute strike was the sixth time this season that United have fallen behind to opposition.

The Manchester club were rescued by a Robin van Persie double in Cluj, making it the fourth occasion this season in which Ferguson's side have managed to turn a game around in their favour.

And with a tough trip to Newcastle coming up next on Sunday, Rooney, 26, believes it is about time the club ends their recent trend of being the first to concede.

"It does bother us having to come from behind because we are losing those early goals,'' Rooney said.

"It is not nice and it is something that we have to stop because we cannot afford to keep letting teams get a head start on us, especially in the Champions League because it is difficult to win the game anyway.

"We have to make sure we are more solid and hopefully we can be in future games.''