Man Utd soccer boss Sir Alex Ferguson says he is very close to sussing out who his club´s major Premier League title rivals will be this season. United are now closing in on the title and are rated at 6.50 to win the Champions League. Arsenal, who notched a 1-0 win over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, are currently in first place leading United by a point.

"If we are around the top on January 1 we will have an outstanding chance and we will know who our challengers are going to be," said Ferguson.

"I always think it is important to be up there once you get through the Christmas period," he added.

United's Christmas fixture list is fraught with potential banana skins. They play an ever-improving Everton side on Sunday and then must hit the road to Sunderland and West Ham. Roy Keane´s Sunderland will make life tough for his old club and West Ham beat United at Upton Park last season.

United then take on Birmingham on New Year's Day - which sees Ferguson up against Alex McLeish, one of his old players from his time at Aberdeen.

Argentinean Carlos Tevez did all the damage at Anfield. It was Liverpool´s fifth win in six seasons at the Merseysider´s normally imposing home ground.

Ferguson´s side has fared well against the best this term.

United have yielded collected seven points from three matches against Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool and two of those games were away from Old Trafford.

Said Ferguson after the Liverpool match: "It was a massive win," said Ferguson. "I said beforehand the games between the top sides would be significant and this is definitely one."