Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United have the experience to overtake Arsenal and retain their Barclays Premier League title.

Ferguson's side face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday aiming to peg back a three-point gap on the Gunners at the top of the table with Chelsea also in the frame.

United are scoring goals for fun and thrashed Newcastle 5-1 at St James' Park at the weekend.

Ferguson said: "We have real experience in Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Edwin van der Sar. That is important.

"In addition Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre will be back shortly (after injury) and add to that experience.

"Hopefully that will be crucial and we can hit a rich vein of form. But we do not take things for granted as two good teams are competing with us.

"We hope Arsenal and Chelsea drop points every game. You are selfish about these things. But points will be dropped. It is inevitable."

With a crucial Champions League match to follow against Lyon on Tuesday - the teams are locked at 1-1 after the first leg - Ferguson is set to shuffle his pack.

Striker Louis Saha is pushing for a place in the starting line-up after scoring in the 5-1 victory against Newcastle.

Ferguson has lauded the Frenchman, whose Old Trafford career has been hampered because of injury.

"It is a great bonus for us to have Louis fit," said the United boss.

"We must try and maximise his worth to us as he is a marvellous striker.

"He will be keen to play tomorrow and on Tuesday. The options are to play him in those games because he is different from the rest of the players."

Ferguson has described Cristiano Ronaldo's scoring rate as "phenomonal" as the Portugal winger attempts to break the 30-goal mark in all club competitions.

Ronaldo, 23, has been a constant threat to opposing defenders throughout the campaign, be it in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

He has already eclipsed last season's total of 23 goals and proved he is an exceptional attacking force either out wide or occasionally up front. He scored a brace at Newcastle to take his tally to 29.

Craven Cottage is a ground that holds special memories for Ronaldo as he scored a late winner in that corner of London last season.

Ferguson said: "Cristiano has played as a centre-forward a couple of times and scored four goals in two games.

"That is a great strike rate but to score those goals as a wide player is phenomonal.

"It is a superb achievement and he has cast any doubts aside about whether he could repeat last season's total.

"Ronaldo's performance that day against Fulham was absolutely superb and he changed the face of the game."

Fulham are locked in a relegation battle but Ferguson knows veteran manager Roy Hodgson will have his team well organised.

"It is always a difficult task when you face a side struggling to stay up so you have prepare properly for it," said the United boss.

"We expect Fulham to be trying their best and in Roy Hodgson they have a manager with considerable experience.

"It is a big challenge for Roy but his record at clubs has been very, very good."

Meanwhile Ferguson has sent words of encouragement to Martin Taylor after his challenge on Eduardo, which resulted in an horrific injury to the Arsenal striker.

Birmingham defender Taylor was given a straight red card and a three-match ban.

But Ferguson said: "I have known Martin Taylor as a kid at Blackburn and he has never been an aggressive player.

"He can get confidence from the fact that everyone has acknowledged that.

"That will be his best help. I do not see any big problems for the boy."