Sir Alex Ferguson retains total faith in his Manchester United squad, despite a poor start to their Premier League title defence. The Red Devils struggled to make their dominance tell in a 1-0 opening-day victory over Birmingham City, and fared even worse at Burnley on Wednesday as Michael Carrick missed a penalty en route to a single-goal defeat.

United's slumbers have led some to suggest Ferguson might abandon his previous intention not to make any further signings this summer, and make a concerted effort to lure one of Valencia's highly-rated duo David Villa or David Silva to Old Trafford. Yet the Scot has insisted he has had no such thoughts.

The 67-year-old accepts his team cannot afford many more slip-ups during the opening weeks of the season. However, he is confident his current group can pull the situation around.

This is a great group of players. We have to step up to the mark and I am quite confident we can do that. We will win games.
Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson

"I made the point and I am sure of it. This is a great group of players," said Ferguson. "Yes, we would like to score goals. Last season was our poorest goal difference for 15 years. It was an issue. We have to step up to the mark and I am quite confident we can do that. We will win games."

Happy hunting ground
United need the trend to begin at Wigan Athletic tomorrow. In fairness to the Red Devils, they have never previously experienced much trouble overcoming the Latics.

Nine previous meetings have yielded nine straight wins, including the 2005 Carling Cup final and victories in the last two years which, in the first instance, won a title and, in the second, took them to the very brink of another. Nothing can be taken for granted, though, despite the fact United have tended to be slow-starters down the years.

"In a way, part of our history is that we have dropped points early in the season," said Ferguson. "Our starts in the last two or three years have been a bit topsy turvy. But it is not just Manchester United, it is throughout the league. You only have Tottenham and Chelsea with two wins."

Ferguson omitted to mention both Arsenal - who visit Old Trafford next Saturday - and big-spending Manchester City have only played one game so far. Still, after drawing opening home matches against Reading and Newcastle United - both of whom subsequently went on to get relegated - there is no need for immediate panic, just a sense of focus.

We do not enjoy losing. We can be philosophical but there is a certain reality too. You cannot lose too many games in this league.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson

"We do not enjoy losing but it has happened before and it will happen again," he said. "The issue now, as it always is at this club when you have a bad defeat, is what are you going to do about it?

"The great thing is that we have only have to wait four days. We can be philosophical but there is a certain reality too. You cannot lose too many games in this league and we have already lost one."

Ferguson seems likely to recall Dimitar Berbatov, as well as Antonio Valencia, who is certain to feature against his former club after making the £17m move to Old Trafford this summer. Changes are also expected in midfield, with Darren Fletcher among those expected to be recalled, while Michael Carrick must decide whether to continue as penalty-taker after failing with his first attempt at Turf Moor, a miss that ultimately proved pivotal.

It is at the back where early-season injuries have bitten the deepest though. Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand have all suffered problems, although there is good news about the former duo, both of whom are expected to start tomorrow.

However, it appears the damage Ferdinand sustained to his thigh in training last week is slightly more extensive than first thought. Originally, Ferguson said he expected his £29.1m defender to be back in action within a fortnight. Now the timescale has changed to between "three and four weeks".