Alex Ferguson

Manchester: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said he hoped his team’s first Premier League title in four years marked the start of another sustained spell of success, rather than the pinnacle of their endeavours.

United clinched their 16th championship — and ninth under Ferguson — when Chelseadrew with Arsenal on Sunday. “I think it’s the club’s greatest achievement simply because it’s a relatively new team together and hopefully it’s going to get better because of that,” Ferguson said on Monday.

“It’s their first attempt at it really and that’s why we are all encouraged.”

Ferguson admitted that repeating the kind of domestic dominance United enjoyed when winning eight titles in 11 seasons from 1993 onwards would be difficult to achieve.

He believes there is still more to come from his side, which has been re-built since their last championship win in 2003. “I think this team will get better and the longer they stay together gives us a real chance,” he added.

With Cristiano Ronaldo recently agreeing on a new long-term contract at Old Trafford, Ferguson can continue to develop his team around English football’s Player-of-the-Year and the likes of Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Nemanja Vidic, rated by Ferguson as the best central defender in the country.