Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp predicted that Manchester United and Chelsea will again fight it out for the league title.

It means Redknapp's team are still looking for their first goal and point of the season and he said: "It's been a tough start and the only consolation is that we've played the two teams who I am sure are going to slug out the championship again.

"I think United will get (Dimitar) Berbatov (from Tottenham) in the next few days and they will be even stronger than they already are.

"But Chelsea are really strong too, and Arsenal and Liverpool have got it all to do to finish above those two."

Redknapp admitted his team had failed to pressurise United after the interval.

"We showed some promise in the first half but then we ran out of steam," he said.

"I was a bit afraid because I took a chance with a few players. Sean Davis has hardly kicked a ball in pre-season because of injury, Younes Kaboul has missed a complete pre-season, and Armand Traore was out with a knock at Arsenal before he came here.

"We did okay and I came in at half-time feeling pleased, but when the pace went out of the game in the second half people like (Carlos) Tevez and (Wayne) Rooney popped the ball about and we couldn't deal with it.

"We've been a decent team over the last two seasons and I believe we'll still be a good team this season, but United's touch and movement was a bit too much for us.

"We've got to provide quicker service for Peter Crouch. He's a bit disappointed but he's also got to help us out by winning a few more headers.

"When we settle down and understand each other a bit more we'll be okay."

Ferguson hailed a "bonus" win for his side after they triumphed through a scruffy 33rd-minute goal when Fletcher saw his goalbound touch from Patrice Evra's cross helped in to the roof of the net by Sylvain Distin's frantic attempt to clear off the line.

Ferguson admitted it was not a game he had banked on winning because of Pompey's fine record of three wins and a draw from the last five home meetings with United, whom they also knocked out in the quarter-finals on the way to winning the FA Cup last term.

But he said: "We played some excellent football. It's a difficult place to come."

Ferguson did not appear at the traditional post-match media briefing and did not send a representative but told Sky Sports after the match: "We tried to get a system where the players were comfortable in their positions. We used the players in the right way."

He hinted, though, that he is still trying to sign Tottenham's rebel striker Berbatov.

"There's only a week (to go before the transfer deadline) and you start to concern yourself," he said.

"We've shown we've (already) got a good quality of player here. We would like to add but we'll have to see what happens."

Click here for the post match reactions from the Pompey-United clash!