Top Drog - We wanted Didier too, admits Sir Alex

Ferguson's Manchester United players will be given a guard of honour by the deposed champions as they enter the field for Wednesday night's game between the clubs at Stamford Bridge.

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The United manager has spoken of his admiration for Ivory Coast international Drogba — who has scored 31 goals this season including 19 in the Premiership — and jokingly suggested he wondered if the only way to stop him was to shoot him.

Ferguson said: "I kept saying to people: 'Will somebody please shoot Drogba?' because his performances were unbelievable.

"He carried their team, I thought, and he kept getting these incredible goals. Like the one at Everton with the last kick of the ball. That was incredible.

"I thought he may win the title on his own at one point, but the drawback for them was that he had to play all the games because they couldn't leave him out.

"I remember us watching Drogba before they bought him. But the price was about £25million.

"That was a lot at the time. He had only had one season at Marseille. But they took the risk and paid for him. He is a powerful lad, a massive physique. He has strength and plays every game."

One of the challenges facing Ferguson this summer is to find a striker who can replicate Drogba's contribution — but in a red shirt.

The United manager has lost faith with current No 9 Louis Saha, and the France international is again frustrating his boss by complaining of a hamstring injury.

Ferguson added: "You look around the world and ask yourself where the strikers are. There aren't a lot of them around.

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"I think we'd be quite happy at the moment to stay with the ones we have. But we will see.

"When you're building a team you need to think about balance. Speed is important to us, for example.

"The way we play we need that in the team. That's what we're looking for at the moment — whether we can get more speed."

Both clubs are expected to play under-strength teams on Wednesdaynight as they prepare for their FA Cup final clash a week on Saturday.

Chelsea will be without last summer's big-name signings Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack — who are both injured — and it is clear that Ferguson is relieved the two buys did not pay off for coach Jose Mourinho.

Ferguson said: "I was quite happy that they were signing those type of players because I felt they were going to concentrate on Europe.

"I thought it was designed to get them the European Cup so I wasn't too concerned. I thought: 'I hope they can concentrate on that and leave the league to us'.

"That would have been very nice of them but of course they didn't do that. They challenged us all the way."

United are still disappointed about not reaching the Champions League final but 1968 European Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton says he has been thrilled by their performances.

Charlton — a United director — said: "They've been very, very impressive and it has been a thrill to watch them.

"When you're a director of a football club the best bit about it is the football, not the finance or the politics. It's the football.

"As long as we produce this fantastic football the fans are quite happy. And so am I.

"It's the old philosophy of Sir Matt Busby. He used to say to us: 'The working lads in Trafford Park , they have a boring existence for the whole week and it's your job to make sure they have a good time on Saturday. So don't be boring'.

"There's certainly no chance of that with the players we've got at present. What Sir Alex Ferguson has done with the team is remarkable.

"Last year we were out of the Premiership by October but this time it's been so different. I never doubted we'd be back and I'm delighted."