Sir Alex Ferguson is so relaxed about this season's Premier League title race he has even forgotten when his major rivals are in action.

Looking for something to do on Tuesday evening, Ferguson opted to get in his car and make the short journey north from his home in Wilmslow to Preston, to watch son Darren's side in action against Barnsley at Deepdale.

The Manchester United boss left a few minutes before the end of what turned out to be a disappointing evening for the Lilywhites, switched on his radio and discovered Chelsea were heading for a draw at Hull.

It was a significant result too because United can now jump back to the top by beating Portsmouth at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Yet it is a measure of how at ease Ferguson feels with life at present that the knowledge Chelsea were in action completely passed him by.

"I had forgotten Chelsea were playing," said Ferguson.

"I thought they were playing on Wednesday but I was coming home and heard it was 1-1, so that was a surprise for me."

Little wonder Ferguson has a confident air.

United had been struggling to find top form until last weekend, when they recorded that stunning triumph over Arsenal that once again put them on the front foot in the championship chase.

It is not unusual for the Red Devils to hit top form at this time of year.

A feature of their 11 previous Premier League wins has been their ability to find an extra gear when their opponents are starting to feel the effects of a demanding domestic campaign.

"Historically we have always grasped the nettle at this time of the year," said Ferguson.

"They realise there is something at stake and we cannot afford inconsistency.

"I have said repeatedly in the run-in, teams will drop points. There is no doubt about that. We are experienced.

"We also know if you drop more than the rest, you are going to lose the league. That's a fact.

"Our aim is to try and be as consistent and try and produce the kind of performance we did last Sunday at that will take us very close."

If United drop any points this weekend it would be a major surprise, with Portsmouth at the foot of the table, six points adrift of the relegation safety net.

It is certainly a major contrast to the scene just under two years ago, when Ferguson was doing battle with Avram Grant in Moscow for the honour of winning the Champions League.

"Fortunes change," Ferguson reflected.

"Avram is a football man. He was out of the game for a year and a half and when you are out of the game that length of time it is an agonising time for a football manager.

"They can't go and get a job as the Prime Minister might, or an accountant or banker for that matter.

"As a football man, you have to wait for the next opening to come along and he went to a club where he was comfortable going.

"But when you see all the things that are happening there it cannot be easy for him.

"How he is coping, you can only imagine. It is a difficult spell for him at the moment."