Man Utd have chance of winning Premier League - Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson still believes Manchester United have a chance of retaining their Premier League title.

The Old Trafford club lie seventh in the table, 14 points adrift of leaders Arsenal with 16 games remaining.

But Ferguson, who stepped down as United manager last May, insisted the league champions are still in the hunt.

"I'm not writing anyone off," said the 72-year-old Scot, adding United, now managed by David Moyes, are always strong in the second half of a season.

Speaking to BBC sports editor David Bond, he said: "Tottenham have started coming forward a bit now, Liverpool are doing very well, Everton are doing very well, City are doing fantastic and Arsenal are top of the league.

"With Jose [Mourinho] you expect them [Chelsea] to win games playing ugly, but all these teams are in there. United are in behind chasing."

The Old Trafford giants have struggled in Moyes's first season in charge after being eliminated from both the FA Cup and Capital One Cup, although they progressed smoothly into the last 16 of the Champions League.

United also suffered three successive for the first time since 2001, in January, when they were beaten by Tottenham, Swansea and Sunderland.

They are six points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool and risk missing out on the Champions League for the first time since 1992.

Ferguson added: "I find it very difficult to pick the top four, so if I find that difficult, I find it even more difficult to say who is going to win the league."

Moyes qualified for the Champions League once with Everton in 2005, but were eliminated by Villarreal in the play-off round.

The 50-year-old took charge of United after 11 years at Goodison Park after Ferguson's recommended his fellow Scot should succeed him as manager at Old Trafford.