Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admits the game has changed for the better since his arrival at Old Trafford over 25 years ago.

Ferguson believes the influx of ­foreign players, the improvement to pitches and the ­improvment of medical science as the three major changes during his time south of the border. He said:

“It’s been a great challenge, also, for me to deal with the different cultures over the years. Some players have been quick to learn the language, others haven’t.

“So, there are always ­completely different issues, regarding managing players, today than there were 25 years ago as we were then dealing mainly with English players.

“The condition of pitches has helped improve the quality and speed of the game.

“Some clubs let the grass grow long and don’t water their pitches when they play us, which is wrong and stupid, but Aldershot’s the other night was brilliant.

“And the medical side has improved tremendously, ­giving players the opportunity to go on longer. It’s quite normal for players to keep playing into their 30s.”

Head over to William Hill for all the latest match odds and great welcome bonuses

Follow @footballtalk1   Follow Football Talk on Twitter