Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists the new wealth at Manchester City has not rattled the champions.

City's new-found riches have raised expectations in the blue half of Manchester that their club could finally be ready to challenge United for football's biggest prizes. Ferguson, though, says that the Barclays Premier League champions are well prepared to repel any pretenders to their throne.

"It's difficult to say with so much money coming into the game," Ferguson said, having been asked to pinpoint where the threat to United was likely to come from. "Manchester City have millions, Chelsea have money and you can't count out anyone.

"You don't know where the next deluge of money's going to come from. You just have to say, 'Here's another challenge.' We won't be afraid of it."