TINKERBELL JUSTIFIES UNITED MEDDLING

Last updated : 20 October 2006 By Editor

Though at least Benitez's tinkering has led to success in Europe. From the MEN:

Alex Ferguson has defended Rafael Benitez's rotation policy, insisting changes in team selection are an inevitable consequence of the modern game.

United host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Benitez set to tinker with his starting line-up for the 96th time on the trot.

Some pundits argue the lack of continuity is a major contributing factor for Liverpool presently lying in the bottom half of the table, knowing defeat this weekend will cast them a massive 11 points adrift of their fierce north-west rivals.

Yet Ferguson, who only named an unchanged side on five occasions last season and has yet to do so in 11 matches this term, has some sympathy for his Liverpool counterpart.

“I have been doing it (squad rotation) for a long time but maybe not as detailed as Rafa has done. In terms of it being successful, I always try to look at the game ahead. If it is more important then I have to try and make changes in the immediate game.

“What Rafa is maybe doing is going into the detail of it. He has struck on a formula he used at Valencia of changing every game and mentally the (Liverpool) players are starting to adjust to that, so there's a system there.

“I don't have a particular system but you have to make the changes, there is no question about that.”