Darren Fletcher has revealed how Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has given his attacking players licence to roam all over the field.

"The manager really wants everyone to be carefree in the sense of expressing themselves on the pitch, and at the moment we are doing it to great effect," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"We've had some great attacks during the time I've been around the first-team, but what defines this team's attack is the youthfulness of it.

"It's a long time since we've had such a young group of forwards and wingers."

Fletcher feels opposition sides cannot stifle his team-mates' attacking instincts.

"Like last year, the goals aren't just coming from one area - everyone is chipping in.

"You need that. You have to be a threat from all over the pitch otherwise you'll become predictable, and that's an accusation you certainly can't throw at this team.

"We didn't score that many goals at the start of the season, but we all knew it would come and it has.

"Opposition teams can't look at us and say, 'mark that player and we'll stop United'.

"We attack from every direction - up front, from either wing or from deep in midfield. Each game, somebody new steps up and puts in the star performance."