Ferguson wants Mourinho to stay at Chelsea

MANCHESTER, England, Jan 12 (Reuters) Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson does not want Jose Mourinho to leave Chelsea, despite the Portuguese coach being his main rival for the Premier League title.

Speculation in the British media has been rife this week that Mourinho might quit the champions at the end of the season.

Asked about the reports, Ferguson told reporters today: ''I take that with a pinch of salt and I think the important thing is to make sure I'm still the manager of our club come May.'' But he added: ''It would be disappointing for me, because I have enjoyed his company the times we met after the game.

''I think he has got a good personality and I enjoy the competition against him.'' Top of the table, United have a six-point lead over second-placed Chelsea in their bid to land the club's first league title since 2003.

Ferguson will expect to keep that lead intact on Saturday with a home game against mid-table Aston Villa, who they beat 2-1 in the FA Cup third round last Sunday.

Former Swedish international Henrik Larsson scored on his United debut in that game, but Ferguson was keen on Friday to play down speculation the striker might extend his 10-week loan from hometown club Helsingborg.

''We are looking at it exactly with the arrangement we had with Helsingborg and that is he's here until March 12,'' Ferguson said. ''We are not looking beyond that.

''I don't think it's pertinent at this moment in time and I don't think it would be fair to Helsingborg to start putting them under that type of pressure.

''I think Henrik is enjoying playing here and that's where we are going to leave it.'' United defender Wes Brown misses tomorrow's game through illness but French striker Louis Saha returns to the squad following a calf injury.

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