But Chelsea and Liverpool, equal top on points in the Premier League, remain United's biggest threat for the time being, he added.

City, flush with money following the takeover earlier this year by their new Abu Dhabi owners, are at home to United in the Manchester derby at Eastlands on Sunday (1330 GMT).

After buying Brazilian forward Robinho for a British record transfer fee of 32.5 million pounds ($50.18 million) in August, City are poised to try and make more major signings in the January transfer window.

"It was an immediate impact and what we had to do was sit back and accept this challenge," Ferguson said.

"We experienced it with Chelsea when (Roman) Abramovich came in and bought all those players that summer and they won the league in the next two years," Ferguson told reporters.

"The one thing you can say about this club is that it can accept a challenge and do something about it and we had to do something about it or we would be second for ever more.

"We accepted it and fortunately we have won the last two leagues."

The full impact of City's new ownership is yet to be realised despite acquiring Robinho. They are 11th in the table under the management of former United striker Mark Hughes.

Ferguson said his major focus remained on Chelsea and leaders Liverpool as third-placed United look to make up an eight-point deficit and stay in contention for a hat-trick of titles.

"There may be a different focus (on the derby) this time with the prospect Mark Hughes has got of money available and buying so many players in January, but that doesn't change our side of it," he said.

"That's the future: how Mark Hughes uses the money and how he shapes his team.

"At the moment our threats are still Chelsea and Liverpool, who are sitting above us."

7:00pm: Hour before the 1^st Round of drinks

Eat some cheese before you go out or tuck into some nuts at the bar since the fat in these foods will help slow the absorption of alcohol.

8:00pm- 1:45am: Out Drinking 

Try drinking only unfiltered beers because they contain brewers yeast which is a good source of B Vitamins that help:

-       Support the metabolism

-       Gives you healthy skin and muscle tone

-       Enhance the immune and nervous system

-       Reduces pancreatic cancer

Try and avoid caffeinated drinks, since these with the alcohol will only make you more dehydrated meaning an even bigger hangover in the morning.

Try not to smoke since smoking constricts your lungs and decreases the oxygen flow to your blood stream. Less oxygen once again means a stronger hangover

1:45am-2:00am: Takeaway

Fight temptation and avoid the 12 inch margarita pizza at the end of the night since it contains A LOT of carbohydrates that combined with all the calories you’ve had in the form of alcohol, is going to store as fat when your tucked up in bed since your metabolism slows right down when your sleeping.

2:45am: Going to bed 

Drink as much water as possible before going to bed since this will prevent dehydration which is a major contributing factor to the headaches and other aches you feel with a hangover.

11:00am: Wake Up

No doubt waking up late, keep drinking plenty of water but also for dinner have a large steak with a big serving of broccoli. Since the zinc in the steak will help boost testosterone levels that have become lowered because of the alcohol and the broccoli serves as an anti-oestrogen. (Note: Alcohol increases the female hormone oestrogen in men, which can lead to fat gain and the dreaded man boobs.)

But all that’s about to change following the launch of the world’s first waterproof football sock which manufacturer SealSkinz claim has the potential to transform players’ after research revealed that half of sportsmen and women say socks that keep feet warm and dry are their dream sports kit invention.  

Players said wet weather and wet feet were are the number one cause for poor performance and players’ biggest irritation. The research revealed:

· 31 per cent felt wet feet were their biggest problem when playing sport

· 25 per cent believed wet feet prevented them from performing well

· 33 per cent thought they would have performed better if feet had been warm, dry and comfortable

· Very wet weather conditions (31 per cent), getting wet (28 per cent) and  very wet pitch conditions (16 per cent) were highlighted as players’ biggest irritations

· 45 per cent considered socks which kept feet warm and dry were their dream sports kit invention

For further information please contact SealSkinz Sport on 01553 817 991 or e-mail info@sealskinz.com

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's match at Anfield, Benitez told the club's website (www.liverpoolfc.tv): "He (Gerrard) was training and is available.

"He could start and I think he could play 90 minutes, but in the end that depends on the player during the game."

Gerrard tore the adductor magnus muscle in his right leg against Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League on Nov. 15.

The midfielder missed England's 2-1 victory over Germany last week and Liverpool's game at home to Fulham on Saturday.

Liverpool, who suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat by Marseille at the same stage last season, are second in Group D and victory at Anfield would put them through to the last 16.

The 21-year-old Spaniard gave an assured display in a 1-0 win over Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday, pulling the strings in midfield to seal Arsenal's place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Tougher tasks await, none more so than a visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday to play Premier League leaders Chelsea, but Fabregas believes the north London club can recover from the malaise that has threatened to wreck their season.

Five domestic league defeats have left Arsenal 10 points off the pace while the removal of Frenchman William Gallas as club captain at the weekend for his comments about the team in the media hinted at dressing room disharmony.

"I'm not a big shouter and, to be honest, I will not change my playing style now that I am captain," Fabregas said in his first programme notes for Tuesday's game.

"I will try to lead by example first of all. I have always tried to do that on the pitch, anyway -- armband or no armband.

"Away from the pitch I will try to be normal, be myself, and with the help of everyone else at the club I'm sure we can get through this bad period and have a fresh new start this season."

India, chasing England's 240 all out, were 198 for five after 40 overs when poor light forced the players off the field to abruptly end what was developing into a keen finish.

The hosts were 16 runs ahead under the Duckworth-Lewis method for weather-interrupted games and were declared winners in hazy conditions.

Poor light had forced a 45-minute delay in the morning and forced the game to be reduced to 49 overs per side.

Opening batsman Virender Sehwag top-scored with 68 to lead the chase against England, who put up a vastly improved display after losing the first two games by 158 runs and 54 runs respectively.

All rounder Andrew Flintoff, who scored 26, grabbed the key wickets of openers Gautam Gambhir (14), Sehwag and the in-form Yuvraj Singh (38), who hit back-to-back match-winning hundreds in the first two games.

However, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (29 not out) and Yusuf Pathan (12) hung on to make sure India held wickets in hand which kept them ahead when the poor light forced the teams off the field.

All rounder Ravi Bopara top-scored with 60 as makeshift opener and raised 79 runs with Ian Bell (46) to lift a shaky England before they were all out with two balls left.

Loew won a trial of strength with his captain last month when Michael Ballack was forced to apologise for a newspaper interview in which he criticised the coach.

Ballack's main concern seemed to be that German coaches are too ready to discard senior players, and particularly since the defeat by Spain in the final of Euro 2008.

Loew makes no apology for judging his players on form rather than reputation but in that sense there will have been plenty to worry him in the match against England.

It is unwise to read much into the results of international friendlies, and this match was only decided by a John Terry header six minutes from time, but Loew must wish he had the sort of strength in depth available to Fabio Capello.

In place of the central midfield pairing of Ballack and Torsten Frings, Loew chose Simon Rolfes and Jermaine Jones but the results were not good, as a more skilful and more patient England team took control in the centre of the pitch.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, only 24 but winning his 62nd cap, made no impact at all, while young goalkeeper Rene Adler made a bad mistake on the first goal and Heiko Westermann, Piotr Trochowski and Marvin Compper played well below their club form.

"We will learn from this game," Loew told reporters. "For each player that played here against such strong opponents, it is good experience for the future."

That is certainly true, and Loew will have no trouble sleeping with his team leading their qualifying group for the 2010 World Cup.

The worry will remain, however, that without Ballack, Germany look a second-rate team.

Just as well the two men managed to smooth things over.

The only Irish side ever to have defeated New Zealand, European champions Munster were bereft of an entire pack of internationals because of Ireland's game against Argentina this coming Saturday.

Yet they led New Zealand, themselves not at full strength ahead of this weekend's Test against Wales in Cardiff, 16-10 at half-time.

And this against an All Black starting side featuring eight of the players who kicked-off in the 32-6 win over Scotland at Murrayfield earlier this month.

Even the most ardent of Munster fans might not have given much for their team's chances after New Zealand steamrollered Ireland 22-3 on Saturday at Dublin's Croke Park, yet history so nearly repeated itself.

"It was an awesome experience, and it just was just awesome to be part of it, and it was right down to 80 minutes," New Zealand No 8 Liam Messam told RTE, Ireland's national public broadcaster.

"It was good for our boys to dig in there and get that try.

"They've got an awesome stadium, awesome fan base and they got really behind their team and they came hard at us."

The match, designed to celebrate both the official opening of the redeveloped Thomond Park and arguably the greatest result in Irish rugby history, capped a day soaked with nostalgia and raw emotion.

A lunch for the 1978 team, which beat New Zealand 12-0, was to be expected. But, in a sign of how much less parochial rugby has become during the past three decades, the Kiwis in the Munster team, including former All Black wing Doug Howlett, playing at full-back, answered New Zealand's haka, the traditional Maori tribal challenge, with one of their own.

Chris Doerr is a student at Mississippi State University and plays in the college team.

He is being held in Mississippi after a 20-year-old woman claimed on Sunday that she had been assaulted at Doerr's apartment in Starkville over the weekend.

According to reports, police in Oktibbeha County said the 20-year-old, from Orpington, Kent, was released from jail on Tuesday after bail of £33,000 was paid.

The sportsman also faces a charge of supplying beer to a minor. Drinking is illegal for those under 21 in the southern US state.

Doerr, who attended Coopers Technology College in Chislehurst, has reached number 11 in the English national rankings and 420 in the world, according to the American college tennis website.

According to reports, Doerr's father, Richard, flew to Mississippi on Sunday.

His younger brother, Michael, said his parents were distraught and added: "None of us can believe it and, as his brother, I can tell you he's just not that kind of guy.

"He's got too much to lose. He loves America and has worked so hard for what he's got and it would not make any sense for him to throw it away.

"He's going through every man's worst nightmare."

George Carrithers, chief deputy for the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Department, said deputies were called to the Oktibbeha County Hospital on Sunday "to talk to a female about a sexual assault".

The 21-year-old world number four had to fend off a mid-match fightback from Simon to join Serb Novak Djokovic in the last four on his debut at the $4.45 million (2.91 million poun) season finale.

Simon won his place at the event when injured world number one Rafael Nadal pulled out and he beat Roger Federer in his first match Monday.

Murray beat American Andy Roddick in his opener. Roddick earlier withdrew from the event because of an injured ankle and Czech alternate Radek Stepanek will take on Swiss Federer in Wednesday's second Red Group match.

"They (McLaren) will recommend what they believe to be in the best interests of my team and I have to decide. And I would be hard pressed to ignore their advice," he told Reuters at the team's Silverstone factory.

"The first thing is building the car. If we don't have a car then there's no point having a driver...It's already pushing the envelope a little bit, so we need to focus on the car. The driver comes next and we will have these conversations.

Mallya reiterated that the team does not intend "at present" to change the line-up of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and Germany's Adrian Sutil. However he did not rule out other candidates being tested.

McLaren and Mercedes have several drivers on their books, including 22-year-old Scot Paul di Resta and experienced Spanish test driver Pedro de la Rosa, and there has been considerable speculation about their prospects of appearing in a Force India car.

"I haven't gone into any details on drivers yet," said Mallya, who in the past week has ousted former team principal Colin Kolles and technical head Mike Gascoyne while also terminating Force India's supply of Ferrari engines.

"I have taken some very hard decisions in the last week for this team. My interest is this team and it has to go where I want it to go.

"I am going to do whatever it takes. There are no emotions involved."

England lost to a second-string Mumbai side after their batsmen collapsed for 98.

"We have learnt a few lessons now today," Pietersen told reporters.

"We are back to competitive cricket. We played our last competitive game before the Stanford week, round about the third or fourth of September.

"That was a long time ago. We had a good seven weeks off into that week. And now we are back into the real, real tough stuff to come here to India.

"We are learning to make sure that we get ourselves right and take our lessons to get our heads back on and get them really, really tuned into what's going to be a tough tour starting this evening."

The tourists went into their second warm-up match with only two fit fast bowlers. Stuart Broad withdrew with a sore knee and Ryan Sidebottom has still to recover from an Achilles injury.

Their batsmen struggled to get their eye in against medium-pacer Kshemal Waingankar, who took five wickets for 37.

"They will have to register for one hour a day where they are going to be in advance," a UK Sports spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

"They are not going to know how many times they are going to be tested. Because it's a random procedure the number of tests they could be subjected to will be random as well."

At present one player from each team is tested after every match.

The spokeswoman said it had not yet been decided who the footballers would be or what the criteria would be for selecting them. The scheme will be introduced on July 1 next year under the new World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code which comes into force from Jan. 1.

"This move, in partnership with the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), is really getting whereabouts into the professional soccer game, to bring them in line with other athletes and continue the fight against doping across all our sports," UK Sport's chief executive John Steele told BBC radio.

"Anything we can do that furthers that battle is very positive."

England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was banned for eight months after failing to attend a drugs test at the club's training ground in 2003.

Also in 2003, Chelsea sacked goalkeeper Mark Bosnich after he tested positive for cocaine. Another former Chelsea player Adrian Mutu was suspended by the Football Association for seven months in 2004 after failing a drugs test.

Out-of-competition tests were introduced into athletics in 1989, the year after Ben Johnson tested positive for a steroid after winning the Seoul Olympic 100 metres final in world-record time.

The Stoke manager, who claimed his Arsenal counterpart radically changed his view of the match, vigorously defended his players, insisting they would never attempt to hurt a fellow professional.

Wenger's comments were provoked by tackles from Stoke players that resulted in three Arsenal players suffering injuries, with the club confirming today that Emmanuel Adebayor will be out for three weeks with a damaged Achilles after a challenge from behind by Ryan Shawcross. Theo Walcott and Bacary Sagna were hurt after tackles by Rory Delap.

"In Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday evening Mr Wenger talked openly about Arsenal's encounter with Stoke, as being a 'typical English encounter'," Pulis said in a club statement. "He commended my team's organisation, my team's commitment and confessed that on the day Stoke thoroughly deserved to win the game. Very open and very honest.

"Over the weekend Arsenal have been criticised by the media over their commitment to not only our game, but also previous games they have been involved in.

"In London 48 hours later and 150 miles away from Stoke-on-Trent, Mr Wenger changed tact and has tried to rewrite history. His comments about my team are there for everybody to read and certainly made me smile, along with I'm sure 27,000 supporters at the game, millions of TV viewers and the massed press who interviewed him after the game.

"Remember, there was only one red card but Rory would never purposely go out to injure a fellow professional - it's just not in Rory's nature. Don't forget not so long ago Rory was sitting in a hospital bed with a double fracture. Further, as I recall the game, Emmanuel Adebayor was booked for a chest-high challenge on Ryan Shawcross. on Saturday and the last time I watched the game it certainly was not a Stoke City player who received it."

"As for Rory Delap's challenges on Theo Walcott and Bacary Sanga - Rory is as honest and committed as they come, they were free kicks,

The FA is considering Wenger’s comments and the Frenchman could be charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

"All the players have been injured deliberately,” Wenger said yesterday. “[Do] you want me to show the X-rays of our players? The brave one is not the one who tackles from behind the player who tries to play football. That is the coward.

“You need to have more courage to play when you know that someone is tackling you from behind without any intention to play the ball. The only intention is to hurt you. If Walcott is in front of you, do you think I’m stupid? I know he is three times quicker than I am and I still tackle him from behind. Do you really think I try to play the ball?”

Agbonlahor has reportedly told Martin O'Neill, the Villa manager, that he does not want to take the issue any further.

Barton was cleared of any wrongdoing at St James' Park by Steve Bennett, the referee, but it is thought that Villa were considering making a further complaint to the FA after O'Neill and senior club officials examined television footage to see whether there was any substance to allegations of racism.

This morning the FA said it was aware of the reports, but that the matter will only be pursued if Villa lodge a complaint.

"We are aware of the rumours circulating and have had a number of calls on the subject, but it is difficult to comment any further on something that has no further substance to it," an FA spokesman said.

"We take seriously any allegations of racist abuse and will obviously act accordingly if we receive any official complaint from Aston Villa."

Barton was adamant that he did nothing wrong and that the incident has been blown out of proportion because of his reputation.

“I thought it was a foul against me, their lad barged me in the back,” Barton said. “He was going on and all I said to him was to be quiet and let his feet do the talking. That was it.

“We shook hands after the game. It was all about nothing and people are making a mountain out of a molehill. With the referee, linesmen and their assistant around and all the television cameras, you know you can't raise your hands these days and at no stage have I done that. I'm going home with a clear conscience.”

Barton returned to action last week after serving six games of a 12-match ban for a training-ground attack on Ousmane Dabo, his former Manchester City team-mate. The remaining six games of that punishment were suspended, but would be triggered by any further disciplinary misdemeanours.

Graham Poll, the former referee working as a television pundit, claimed that Barton's actions on Monday were worthy of a red card, but Bennett stuck to his decision after studying video evidence.

He becomes Britain's first world champion since Damon Hill 12 years ago.

But 23-year-old Hamilton left it late to claim the title.

He was lying sixth on the final lap, but the team to the gamble to put him on wet tyres and as the rain came down he took the chance to claim back the places he needed.

Hamilton was in tears before he had even climbed out of the car and struggled to find the words to thank the MacLaren team over the car radio.

Back in the pit lane the tears flowed again.

"It's impossible to put into words," he said.

"it's been such a long journey, I'm so thrilled to be able to do this for everyone."

And he paid tribute to his father Anthony, who had paced the MacLaren garage, unable to watch the final moments.

"Dad, you're the man," he said.

Felipe Massa could not hide his disappointment.

At the post-race news conference he said: "We're going to learn from this day.

"That's the way it is. I'm very emotional."

Sky's Chris Skudder said it was about as good as sport gets.

"We've seen some great sporting moments, " he said.

"But you couldn't have made it up. To overtake to win the championship with just 100 yards to go."

Before the race he must have feared a repeat of 12 months ago. Last year, in his first season in the sport, Hamilton let a 17 point lead slip in the final two races.

This season he has had to overcome dubious decisions, racist abuse and even accusations his driving style was too dangerous.

But he has matured from last season, and he will have learned from his mistakes in Japan.

He has wanted this moment ever since he introduced himself to McLaren team boss Ron Dennis at the Autosport awards, aged 10.

"I'm going to drive for your team one day", he told an amused Dennis.

Some 13 years later and Hamilton has proved his potential.

The 4-4 draw with Spurs showed Arsenal for what they are this season – probably going to finish fourth and make the last four in Europe if they’re lucky.

Their frail back four allied with an impression that ‘they don’t like it up ‘em’ puts the Gunners down as a side going through yet another season of transition.

In the post match interview, Wenger spoke of an awesome Arsenal performance – well, they did score four – but not once credited Spurs’ for their never-say-die attitude. The one thing his team lacks.

The defeat to Hull at the Emirates no longer looks like the result of the decade.

Meanwhile Chelsea are going about their business and Man Utd are shaking off their early season stupor.

So it’s Liverpool who look like the surprise package of the season. But hand on heart, you reckon Benitez’s boys can keep this up for the remaining 28 games?

No, not us either.

Admittedly, Spurs are still rooted to the bottom of the Premiership but, with Harry Redknapp in charge, that doesn’t look likely to last.

Particularly after they took a point at the Emirates in what must be the greatest North London derby of all time.

And especially satisfying after Cesc Fabregas announced that Spurs couldn’t beat the Arsenal ladies team.

Spurs took the lead early on through David Bentley’s wonder strike, a looping 43 yard volley against the run of play.

However, early in the second half, Arsenal had made it 3-1 and seemed to be cruising. Tottenham had different ideas however and Darren Bent was on hand to make it 3-2... before Alan Hutton gifted Arsenal a fourth goal.

With the whistle imminent, it looked like Spurs were shuffling back across North London empty handed as predicted.

However, Jermaine Jenas had a different idea to make it 4-3 and, in the fourth minute of extra time, Aaron Lennon tapped in a rebound to make it all square.

So four goals, the fourth in the fourth minute of extra time to give Harry Redknapp four points since he took charge.

If we were him, we’d have a few quid on the fourth horse in the four o’clock. On the fourth.

It was a busy night for the Premier League although one with few other surprises. Liverpool stayed top after grinding out a 1-0 win over Portsmouth while Chelsea finally taught Hull a few footballing lessons to see them off 3-0.

Manchester United kept their title ambitions on track with a 2-0 win over West Ham – the second courtesy of a piece of utter genius from Dimitar Berbatov – while Stoke caused the biggest upset by seeing off Sunderland 1-0.

‘He showed a lot of bottle to do that. He wasn't on penalties and he'd have been in trouble if he'd missed, but fair play to him, he's obviously a very confident lad," said Kinnear.  

‘He stuck it away well and he's trying to prove a point - all he wants is to play football and be given a chance.

‘Whatever happened in the past  has gone. It's done and dusted and hopefully Newcastle fans will see that.’

Barton who has been a hate figure after his well documented troubles dedicated his goal to those he had let down.

‘That was for all our fans and all the people I have let down,’ said Barton.

‘Through my own stupidity, I have had to come back from things, and that has shaped me for what I have got to do.’

Where have we heard that one before Joey? This time it better be for real.