ALEX FERGUSON has paid tribute to Manchester City’s phenomenal start to the league campaign, describing their results in the first half of the season as one of the best performances in a long, long time.

Manchester United could go level on points with their neighbours by winning today’s home game against Bolton Wanderers, as could Tottenham Hotspur by beating Wolves at White Hart Lane, and Ferguson said it was good for football to see two new teams challenging ahead of the usual threat from Chelsea and Arsenal. “I think that makes it more exciting, and more interesting, but it certainly doesn’t make it any easier,” he said.

“The main difference this season is that City have amassed a bigger points total than Chelsea or Arsenal would normally have managed by this stage. Their first half of the season was fantastic, and the way it’s going we could be looking at something approaching 90 points to win this league. It could certainly be a number in the high 80s, and that is surprising really, because in recent seasons more teams have been taking points off each other.”

Ferguson does not expect City to replicate their first-half performance and double their points total – based on 45 points from 19 games that would take them to 90 – because fatigue, pressure and other commitments often take their toll as the run-in gets under way. “Points will be dropped along the way, I always say that,” he said.

Acutely aware of what happened the last time a team from the bottom three visited Old Trafford – Blackburn Rovers temporarily lifting themselves off the foot of the table with an unlikely 3-2 win – Ferguson wishes to name as strong a side as possible against Bolton. “Chris Smalling and Phil Jones have slight knocks that we’ll have to assess but we should have a reasonable squad,” he said.

Ferguson would not say whether Paul Scholes will be involved, but suggested that he may be. “I wouldn’t be against playing him,” he said. “As his stats from the last game showed, he’s still one of the best passers in the game, and he’ll probably still be able to do that when he’s 50. Bringing him back was a very easy decision to make; all the players idolise him anyway.”

Scholes has signed a contract until the end of the season, when his situation will be reviewed again. One player who may not last that long at United is Ravel Morrison, an 18-year-old winger with a couple of substitute appearances who is interesting Newcastle and seems to have exhausted the patience of his present manager.

“His agent has been working hard to get him another club,” Ferguson said. “We have offered him terms, which he has refused. His demands are unrealistic as far as we are concerned. We have rejected an offer from Newcastle.”

City have also welcomed Spurs into the title race, despite Harry Redknapp letting it be known in the past few days that he feels the leaders are “buying” their way to success. Roberto Mancini’s players have to wait until Monday to visit Wigan in this round of games.

“Spurs are genuine title contenders,” City’s assistant coach David Platt said. “We have always felt that and I am glad everyone else is now recognising them as a threat. It feels like they have been under the radar for a while, but maybe that’s just the view from Manchester.

“Harry Redknapp has a right to be proud of what he has achieved; money is irrelevant really. No one can compete at the top level without bringing in quality players.”