At the time, Ferguson wrote off his side's chances of winning a fourth consecutive title, and he has not revised that opinion despite three successive wins and a sequence of results elsewhere which has pushed them right back into contention.

However, Ferguson remains pessimistic, insisting the six defeats his team have already suffered could form an impossible barrier to overcome.

"Certain things can happen to help us, most notably getting our own form right, but with six defeats I don't think we can win it," Ferguson said.