"What I love about United is that in the 10 years they have won a lot of things, they have had that success with two generations," Eric told the Evening News.
"The first one with Hughes, Ince and Robson and the other one with the next generation of Beckham, Scholes and Butt. Now you have another new generation mixed in with some of the old one. I think the team can win things again because I know the hard work they do at the club with the young players. They get the best young players and they work very well. I am sure they will win the league again next year, or if it is not next year, then the year after."
"I think it is very brave for the manager to sell some stars and bring in some young players. It is very brave and hard to do it at a club like United. It would be easier to build new teams at a club that is not as big as United because you don't have so much pressure and expectation. You need to be very courageous to do what Sir Alex Ferguson does and keep building new and successful sides. But he has done it before and he can do it again."
Eric believes that the younger players need to be given some time.
"The club has young players now with very good talent. Maybe you have to wait one or two years for it to happen with them. It is like that with young players. You are not sure whether they will become top players. You are never sure. But, me, I am sure if Ferguson puts them in the first team then it is because he trusts them and trusts them to become top players and they will help United to win things.
"In ’96 when the young lads came through I didn’t know very much about them. I couldn’t say what they’d be like but I trusted Alex Ferguson when he changed the squad. I had confidence in what he was doing. If you want to keep the identity and the feel of the club then you need to work very hard on the young
players. I don’t think Arsenal has the same club spirit as you have at Old Trafford. For me Arsenal isn’t a team that has an identity. It’s like Real Madrid now. It is good to have young players who have been brought up by the club and have the love of the club. There is also a great deal more pride in the achievement when that team is successful.’’