Fergie thinks the Chelsea pensioners haven’t got a chance

In the latest of his pre-season mind games, Alex Ferguson has accused the Chelsea squad of being too old to compete with his spritely team this season:

“When you see the ages they’ve got, apart from Salomon Kalou [who is 22] and Mikel John Obi [21], they are an experienced side. I’m not saying necessarily that they’re old because, with the modern-day training methods, you should be playing in your thirties. What I am saying is that I don’t see outstanding progress in a team that’s in their thirties.”

So there you have it. Manchester Utd, whose squad includes Edwin van der Sar (37), Gary Neville (33), Ryan Giggs (34) and Paul Scholes (33) are destined to claim another Premiership title because the likes of Frank Lampard (30), Michael Ballack (31) and Deco (30) are getting on a bit.

It’s also worth noting the average ages of the starting lineups of the Champions League final - Manchester Utd’s was 27.45, while Chelsea’s (which included 35-year-old Calude Makelele) was just 28.45.

So, should some members of the Chelsea squad head off to the MLS retirement home (the football equivalent of Bournemouth), or do you side with deceased hip hop starlet Aaliyah in her sentiment ‘Age ain’t nothing but a number’? Votes and comments below, please.