Fergie`s After Shawcross

The city of Manchester has most certainly been the dominant force in the Premier League, with both sides battling hammer and tongue to be top dog. But the red side of Manchester in the form of Sir Alex Ferguson`s United have taken a number of blows defensively, and so may look towards a former player to help beef up the back line.

No no, they aren`t going to call Gary Neville and persuade him to come out of retirement! Besides, he`s got a job with Sky Sports now. They`re looking towards a Potter, and that man is our captain Ryan Shawcross.

Ryan spent most of youth training at Old Trafford, but couldn`t quite step up to the mark that Sir Alex had set, failing to make it into the first team. He then opted to move to Stoke back in 2008 and has been a pivotal member of the squad since putting on a red and white shirt.

Letting him go wasn`t perhaps not one of Sir Alex`s best deals as the 24-year-old has developed massively, proving to be an encouraging investment for the future at both club and even international level.

Nemanja Vidic is out for the rest of the season, Rio Ferdinand is terribly off-form and gaps in the defence are showing, which will be disastrous for United and their title ambitions, especially as City are rampant, so it seems this would be the right time to bid for Shawcross.

Pulis however may scupper any chance of them taking back the big defender as he is an important asset for the team. He has made 175 appearances for Stoke since making his £1million move, gaining a lot of experience both in the Championship and Premier League, so a considerable fee is needed to even make Pulis turn his head.

Fans would equally hate to see him go as he has been a worthy captain for the team that has been both reliable and consistent. Hopefully Ryan won`t leave us yet, but if he does, we do have adequate cover in newbies Mathew Upson and Jonathan Woodgate, although neither – in my eyes – would quite be the same standard.