Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson rates Aston Villa ahead of big-spending Manchester City.

He said: "Arsenal will have a big test all right, but it might not come from Manchester City.

"The job that Martin O'Neill did at Aston Villa last year until his squad started to tire was fantastic. He used the same players all the time because he has a small squad, but if he can make it bigger then who knows?

"Martin is a good manager. Harry Redknapp is a good manager and David Moyes is improving all the time.

"They will all have something to say about the top four.

"It will not be easy for City and, for me, they don't even come into the equation at all. I don't look upon City as a challenge.

"Do you know what City's biggest triumph will be this season? I'll tell you - it's getting all those players to actually go there.

"They might not get beyond that."