After suffering a disappointing loss to Manchester City last Monday, Manchester United will want to put things right when they travel to struggling Stoke City in the English Premier League Sunday.
United still hold a comfortable 12-point lead at the top, with just seven games remaining, and the Premier League leaders will want to ensure that there is no collapse similar to the one of last season, by picking up three points against the Potters.
Manchester City do not play this weekend, owing to their F.A. Cup semifinal game against Chelsea at Wembley; so, with a win, United can increase the gap back to 15 points, at least until Wednesday.
"We have a job to do," Ferguson told reporters at his pre-match press conference. "The incentives are there for ourselves in the sense that we've only got seven games left.
"The challenge is there for Stoke as well. I don't think they will go down but, nonetheless, they're in a precarious situation because, down the bottom of that league, you don't pick up a lot of points. I think they'll get enough to get out.
"I don't think we should look at our position in terms of being 12 points clear. What matters is winning on Sunday and we need to do that. As we always do, we should just try to do our best. We have a job to do on Sunday and we need to do it."
Stoke is never an easy place to go to, and the fact that Tony Pulis' side are battling relegation -- they are currently 15th, just three points clear of the relegation zone - will only add to the difficulty.
United have been a mean machine when it has come to carving out results this season, as their run of 25 wins in 30 games, prior to the City loss at Old Trafford, will attest to.
However, there has also been a reduction in attacking efficiency recently, particularly against the big teams. In the F.A. Cup quarterfinal replay against Chelsea and the Premier League game against City, United did not create too many clearcut chances, which again has been one of the reasons why Robin Van Persie has gone off the boil.
Against the smaller teams, though, United always find a way through, and knowing Ferguson, the Red Devils will come out all guns blazing, looking to make a statement.
United will be without Ashley Young, who has been ruled out for at least two weeks with an ankle injury he picked up against City. Paul Scholes (knee) and Chris Smalling will also be missing, but Jonny Evans is back while Nemanja Vidic could be available.
For Stoke, Mathew Etherington and Marc Wilson are doubts, while Glenn Whelan returns from a back injury.
Expected lineups: Stoke: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Shotton; Walters, Whelan, Nzonzi, Adam, Kightly; Jones.
Manchester United: De Gea; Rafael, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra; Carrick, Cleverley; Valencia, Rooney, Nani; Van Persie.
Prediction: 3-0 to United