It will take 'balls' to win this Premier League: Alex Ferguson

Describing this Premier league as the toughest so far, Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said it needs a team with "balls" to win the title.

The Manchester United manager is hoping that his side wins the title, as they go into the Christmas and New Year programme as undefeated league leaders.

Fergie, who insists today's match against Sunderland at Old Trafford is definitely on, admitted: "There are points to be dropped - even if you are playing well."

"It's a tough league now, probably the toughest Premier League I have known, in terms of the condensing of standards between teams at the top and those in the middle part of the division," The Daily Star quoted him, as saying.

"But there is an opportunity to take it by the scruff of the neck - if someone has the balls to do it. If somebody went on a winning run of about ten games in a row, they'd win the league," he said.

"We've done it in the past and we hope that we have cut out the stupid mistakes we were making earlier on in the season.

"A lot of people have said we aren't at top form but we've had some good ­performances, although not of a consistent nature. I still think our performance at Everton was as good as we've had in the last few years, when we ended up drawing. But we could have been six up," Ferguson said.