FERGIE FOCUSED ON JOB IN HAND

Sir Alex Ferguson insists that he has not let his thoughts drift towards a showdown with Liverpool on Grand Slam Sunday.

The league leaders must first face struggling Bolton at Old Trafford on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports 1, and the Red Devils boss is currently focusing all of his attention on the Trotters.

The weekend fixture list could go a long way to determining the destination of the title this season, but Ferguson feels that the disappointing display by United against rock-bottom Derby on Saturday proves that his side cannot afford to get complacent ahead of the visit from Gary Megson’s men.

Encouraging

“There are big games coming up and Liverpool is one of them, especially when you consider Chelsea are playing Arsenal on the same day,” said the United boss.

“But when you see what happened at Derby on Saturday, not taking our chances, you realise you can’t take anything for granted. Sure, there are big weekends ahead, but the other matches are just as important.

“If we perform well and take our chances then we’ll win the match against Bolton. But it’s important we respect our opponents.

“Some of our football recently has been terrific and there’s good penetration in the team. It’s encouraging that we’re making so many chances - perhaps the forwards just need to relax a little in front of goal. Then the goals will come.”

United currently top the Premier League table on goal difference from Arsenal, with the midweek fixture against Bolton representing their game in hand on the Gunners.

Survival fight

Ferguson is well aware of the need to establish a lead heading into the closing stages of the season, but fully expects a Bolton side scrapping for their lives at the wrong end of the table to provide stiff opposition for the Red Devils.

“They are fighting for survival and any team fighting for survival have to fight,” he said.

“That’s the name of the game.

“I thought they had got themselves clear of trouble, but in this league if you lose a couple of games you are back in the mix.

“Everyone expects Derby to go down, Fulham are the next one and then it is a scramble. You’ve got a lot of teams down there.

“Obviously they are missing Nicolas Anelka’s goals but they have Kevin Davies up front and he will do everything he possibly can to unsettle us.

“He’s a physical lad and we have to deal with that but I think Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have the height and ability to do that.”