Carlo Ancelotti will banish the spectre of Jose Mourinho, says Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson is backing Carlo Ancelotti to banish the spectre of Jose Mourinho from Stamford Bridge at last.

The Manchester United boss insists his new rival at Chelsea will not be overawed by the legacy of The Special One, who won two titles, the FA Cup and League Cup in his three years at the club.

Avram Grant took Chelsea to the Champions League Final but was sacked and Guus Hiddink lifted the FA Cup after Luiz Felipe Scolari’s brief reign came to an end.

But Ferguson said: “I don’t think Carlo will be worried about Jose Mourinho.

“Look at his CV – it’s pretty impressive. He’s won two European Cups and the Scudetto. He was also a top player who won the European Cup three times.

“I don’t see what Mourinho did there being a problem to him. His credentials as a coach are unquestionable.

“He’s got them playing a different way to Jose – his way.

“Carlo was at Milan a long time. Eight years is unheard of in Italy. Maybe he came to the point where he needed a new challenge – and that meant the Premier League. Where else could he have gone? Real Madrid in Spain, maybe? Barcelona?

“I think England, and the level of competition we have over here, was right for him.”

United travel to London trailing Chelsea by two points. And Ferguson believes the Blues remain the biggest threat to his hopes of a fourth successive title – even though he claims a lack of flair remains their big weakness.

Ferguson said: “Chelsea have replaced Arsenal as our major competitors for trophies.

“I think Ancelotti has done a really good job. Having experienced players has helped him because they have a better tactical understanding.

“He has Ballack and Deco, players from Europe where tactics are more of an issue, and the experience of Lampard.

“Up front he has Anelka and Drogba, who have both come in from abroad.

“It’s not surprised me that Chelsea have started so well because of the players they’ve got, but I have to say Ancelotti has done some good work. Carlo is operating the diamond formation – like he did at Milan – but the difference there was that he had Kaka.

“At Chelsea he hasn’t got a Kaka-type figure. That’s why they are still looking for a player who can play in that forward role to balance the team.

“They’ve tried Lampard and Deco and even Malouda. Now he’s looking at Joe Cole.

“Chelsea aren’t the finished article at the moment, but they have the  experience that will help them cope with it.”

Fergie may be haunted today by his comments last season that Chelsea’s squad is getting too old to win the Premier League.

Ancelotti knows all about getting the best from older players, having seen the likes of Paolo Maldini and David Beckham still performing well into their thirties.

With the average age of the Chelsea side likely to play today at just 29, Ancelotti knows most of his stars are reaching their peak.

“When a player is 30 he is at the peak of his career,” said Ancelotti. “Ten years ago he would have been old but with new physical training and other things, 30 is the best moment of a player’s career.”