Manchester United train in Doha

Manchester United escaped the snow gripping the United Kingdom by flying out to Qatar for a warm weather training camp ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round tie against Fulham.

Rio Ferdinand admitted that Manchester United got a taste of their own medicine at Tottenham, but the defender insists the team will not be disheartened at coming away from Tottenham with a point.

United looked set to re-establish a seven-point lead over bitter rivals Manchester City after Robin van Persie put them on course for victory, but Clint Dempsey snatched a point for Spurs with a 93rd-minute equaliser.

United are the ones who usually pull off a result with a late goal – they have snatched last-gasp winners in no fewer than four matches this season and they also stole a draw at West Ham with an injury-time equaliser from Van Persie in the FA Cup. The fact that United have scored so many late goals during Sir Alex Ferguson’s 27-year spell in charge at Old Trafford has partly led to the coining of the term ‘Fergie time’, and for that reason, Ferdinand was philosophical about his team being denied victory in such a dramatic fashion at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Ferdinand said “It is disappointing, But as soon as you get off the pitch and into the changing room you think back to how many times we have done that to other teams over the years and you have to accept it and take it on the chin.”

Most critics admit this United team does not rank up there with the other sides who have helped Ferguson win his 12 titles, yet the Red Devils are odds-on favourites to clinch the Barclays Premier League title this season.

The fixture list makes for comfortable reading for any Manchester United fan. Other than a potentially tricky home game against Everton, the club have a run of winnable fixtures against the likes of Southampton, Fulham, West Ham and Reading coming up. Manchester City, on the other hand, face games against Chelsea and Liverpool next month, but Ferdinand is not getting carried away by the prospect of another Barclays Premier League title.

Ferdinand said “It is a good position to be in but there are no medals given out yet so you have to keep chalking off the games and get as many three points in the bag as you can.”

Tags: Chelsea, Doha, EPL, Everton, FA Cup, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Qatar, Southampton, Tottenham, United Kingdom, West Ham