Grinding their way to the top

SIR Alex Ferguson admitted he was about to take Carlos Tevez off when the South American supplied Dimitar Berbatov for Manchester United’s last-minute winner at Bolton.

Wayne Rooney’s first-minute strike against Wigan on Wednesday and Berbatov’s last-gasp header at the Reebok Stadium mean United top the Barclays Premier League table for the first time this season.

It puts the pressure on Liverpool ahead of tonight’s Merseyside derby at Anfield. But it may not have happened if Ferguson had been a bit quicker.

“It is a new tactic,” he joked. “Get someone stripped on the touchline and see what happens.

“I was ready to take Carlos off and then he makes a goal. Danny Welbeck is a big lad and I just felt he might get us a goal from a cross. I am always prepared to gamble.”

In the end, Ferguson didn’t need to as Berbatov provided another substantial repayment on his club record £30.75million transfer fee.

United have now won five successive games since they returned from the Club World Cup, four of them by a single goal. At the same time, they have closed a seven-point gap on Liverpool and now lead Rafael Benitez’s men by one.

The United boss will now make changes for tomorrow’s Carling Cup semi-final with Derby, when the Reds will start a goal adrift of their Championship opponents.

They then tackle Spurs in the FA Cup on Saturday before resuming their league challenge at West Brom on January 27 and Everton on February 2, by which time Ferguson is hopeful Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown will be available.