Sir Alex Ferguson's Selection Set to Rile Prem Pair

I can hear the bleatings from the North-East already as Sir Alex Ferguson prepares to rotate his squad on the final day of the Premier League season.

Fergie takes his Manchester United side to relegation-haunted Hull on Sunday and with the champions in action in Europe’s biggest club competition the following Wednesday, Sir Alex will rightfully rest his star men at The KC Stadium.

That’s not going to go down too well in the north with Middlesbrough and Newcastle both dependant on United doing the business in East Yorkshire.

It looks like a safe football bet that Boro are doomed and need to win and hope for a four-goal swing as well as relying on defeats for Hull and Newcastle.

The Geordies on the other hand, who face Aston Villa at Villa Park, are a point behind Hull and need to better the Tigers’ final day result.

Toon boss Alan Shearer will be praying that Fergie throws his big guns into action against Hull, but with the title already sewn up and the date in Rome so close it seems unlikely.

Ferguson will field a second-string side, but players such as Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov, Rafael and the suspended Darren Fletcher could all feature, however that is unlikely to appease the Newcastle management.

They are nailed on to voice their disapproval, but Fergie won’t buckle under pressure and why should he with another European title at stake?

In truth the modern game is about managing a squad and Fergie certainly knows how to do that. He’s the best in the business at picking the right team for the right occasion.

The only grumble Shearer and co can have is that they haven’t already picked up enough points to be safe.