Boss Sir Alex has rubbished speculation that he will quit as United gaffer at the end of this season. Tabloids had suggested an abrupt end to his illustrious career, but on Friday he laughed off the claims - saying the journalists will retire before he does... 

Asked in his Friday pre-match press meeting if he would retire soon, he laughed - and singled-out the culprit of the original article on his retirement, Bill Thornton of The Daily Star !

"I hope you're retiring, Bill," joked the boss. "You deserve to. That's a last hurrah if I ever heard one ! - It's absolute rubbish, I've no intention of retiring."

"The only thing that determines my staying here is my health. Unfortunately for you lot I'm bloody rudely healthy ! - So you can live to suffer me. You'll be gone before I'm gone, don't you worry. The way most of you write, I'll be banning most of you anyway !"

Asked if the excitement of the Premier League title race has sustained his hunger and health for the job, Sir Alex replied: "I don't think it keeps you healthy, it's not good for you. But it's there. You have to accept pressure in life and I can deal with it."

Sir Alex and Bill Thornton go back quite a long way. As back in 2002, the gaffer exploded when questioned about Juan Sebastian Veron's future at the club - he cursed many times over, and ordered the jounos out of Carrington ! - most papers covered the story, but The Star didn't, as Thornton refused to and subsequently fell-out with The Star's editor, Peter Hill. 

Hill was about to sack Thornton, when Sir Alex phoned to apologise to Hill and said that Thornton was 'the best' journo in Engish football - resolving the row, and saving Thornton's skin. After that, I find it a bit weird that he'd be writing bad about the gaffer... but that's football for you !