Sir Alex Ferguson reckons his Manchester United strikers can break the 80-goal mark on the way to glory this season.

With praise coming from all corners for the Red Devil's 11 consecutive clean sheets, Ferguson was adamant that it will be the attacking part of the game that will help them defend the title.

Ferguson said: "I certainly think they are capable of doing it. Quite rightly the defenders have been taking the credit this season up until now.

"I just hope now that it's going to be the forwards who take the credit.

"The case of Ronaldo is a good one. Last year was a miracle season. To score 42 goals as a winger, it is hard to imagine he could replicate that.

"Yet people are saying he has not had a great season but he's still got 13 goals for us and had 11 assists.

"If we could dismiss last season altogether you would say that was incredible for a winger to score 13 goals by the half-way mark.

"So he will without doubt end up with over 20. Berbatov's record at Tottenham was 20 goals or more a season and we expect that again. And of course if we can get the extra stuff from Carlos and Wayne it gives us a better chance."

Fergie's four strikers have bagged a grand totally of 46 goals between them so far with Cristiano Ronaldo netting 13, Wayne Rooney 12, Dimitar Berbatov 11 and Carlos Tevez 10.