Ferguson: Striker problem looming

Sir Alex Ferguson knows he has a striker problem looming at Manchester United.

Ferguson has seven at his disposal after the return of Danny Welbeck, Mame Biram Diouf and Federico Macheda from their various loan spells.

The latter two did not even make the bench for Monday night's 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, along with Michael Owen, who was ruled out through injury.

Last season's Golden Boot winner Dimitar Berbatov played no part, Javier Hernandez played a minimal role after making a surprise return as a substitute, while Welbeck and Wayne Rooney both found the net as United maintained their 100 per cent start.

DIFFERENT QUALITIES

But now the selection dilemmas start, with United facing up to a crunch match with ailing rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday.

"If you look at Berbatov, Owen, Hernandez and Rooney, they all have different qualities," Ferguson said.

"You have to utilise all that and make changes as best you can.

"The horrible part for me now is with having Javier back, what do we do? It is going to be a big problem for me."

At least one departure looks inevitable before the transfer window closes, and possibly more than that.

Welbeck will not be shunted through the exit door though after following up an impressive pre-season campaign by scoring United's second-half opener, then brilliantly setting up Anderson before Rooney wrapped up a comfortable win that maintained their 100 per cent start and left them adrift of early pace-setters Manchester City by the slenderest of goal difference deficits.

GREAT FUTURE

"Danny is a big, rangy, long-legged boy who can gallop really quickly," Ferguson said of the 20-year-old Longsight-born forward.

"Once he gets his legs going he is quick. He is a good footballer and has a great attitude when he loses the ball.

"He has always had ability but made slow progress because when he was growing he had a bit of a knee growth problem, so we knew we had to wait for him.

"We put him on loan to Sunderland last season and that is when he became a man. He has grown up.

"He is still only 20 years of age and the lad has a great future."