Ferguson senses a "big year" ahead for United

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is excited at his side's terrific form this season and believes it could be a "big year" for the club.

The Scotsman's charges are currently involved in the Champions League, Premier League and the FA Cup and many are predicting them to end the season on a winning note. The club last achieved the treble in 1999 and could do so again this year as they have been distinctly impressive thus far. 

The Premier League title, for one, is virtually a shoe-in as the Red Devils currently hold a near-insurmountable 12-point lead over local rivals Manchester City. Moreover, they have been irrepressible in the league and boast an attack that has scored on average more than two goals per game. 

Even in the Champions League, they gave a good account of themselves against La Liga giants Real Madrid and came away with a valuable away goal in their last-16 first leg tie at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

Ferguson has been buoyed with the manner of these performances as well as his players' desire to turn up for duty in every fixture and feels this could be a momentous year for the club. 

"At this club, and particularly in the situation we're in at the moment, anything can happen in the run-in. Players can suddenly find themselves playing in a final or an important league game because that's the squad I have," Ferguson told ManUtd.com.

"I think they sense this could be a big year for them.

"It's very difficult [to manage the squad] at the moment. I have a lot of disappointed players. 

"Against Real Madrid they all wanted to play and that's fantastic - it's a measure of their faith and confidence in themselves.

"And I thought they acquitted themselves well against Reading. Their hunger and attitude to the game was great and we deserved to go through [to the FA Cup Sixth Round]."

The Red Devils are in action on Saturday against QPR and know that City face a crunch league encounter with Chelsea the following day. 

Danny Welbeck has determined that despite his side's enviable position in the title race, they should continue to register wins and apply pressure on their local rivals.  

"It definitely won't be easy [against QPR]," Welbeck told the club website. "I think every game in the league now is going to be pretty tough. We've got to set out right and make sure we get the three points. That's the main thing - to keep the pressure on City.

"QPR have done well recently. I think they've been setting up with two banks of four, making it difficult to break them down. 

"They're just getting behind the ball and obviously it's been hard for teams to score goals against them. But hopefully we'll have our tactics right on the day and will try to get some goals."

The Old Trafford outfit will face former player Park Ji-Sung as well as on-loan youngster Fabio da Silva although the 22-year-old full-back is not eligible to play against his parent club. 

Source: Fox Sport