Sir Alex Ferguson admits his first challenge as Manchester United boss was to topple Everton: 'Getting the better of them was a big job in itself'

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Sir Alex Ferguson famously declared his greatest challenge at Manchester United was to 'knock Liverpool right off their f**king perch', but the legendary boss has now admitted it was actually Everton who posed him his first problem at Old Trafford.

Ferguson went on to win 38 trophies as Red Devils boss, but when he took over in 1986 he did so at a time where the balance of power was firmly on Merseyside, with Everton winning the title in the Scot's first season at Old Trafford to take the two Liverpool clubs' title streak to a combined six.

The 75-year-old's final years before retirement saw him guide Manchester United to their 20th top flight title, clear of old rivals Liverpool, but writing in the foreword of former Everton man Peter Reid's new autobiography, Ferguson declared his famous quote was in fact disrespectful to Liverpool's blue half. 

Sir Alex Ferguson won a mammoth 38 trophies while manager of Manchester United

But in his first season in charge, 1986-87, it was Everton who won the First Division title

Ferguson, pictured in December 1986, shortly after taking over as Manchester United manager

He wrote: '(That Everton) side that was undoubtedly one of the strongest in Europe during the mid-1980s when Howard (Kendall) had them playing some brilliant football.

'When people talk about the job that I took on at United in 1986, one of the first things that is often highlighted is the challenge we had to overhaul Liverpool but I have always thought that was disrespectful to Everton, who won the championship for the second time in three years in my first season in charge.

'Howard's decision to leave at the end of that campaign probably stopped Everton in their tracks a little bit but when I first went to United there is no question that they were a top side, and I knew full well that getting the better of them was going to be a big job in itself.' 

Ferguson has written the foreword to former Everton star Peter Reid's new autobiography

Ferguson was also full of praise for Reid, who played a crucial role in Everton's last title triumph before going on to manage the likes of Manchester City, Sunderland and Leeds. 

'If anything, his talent has become under-estimated with the passage of time,' Ferguson wrote.

'The same can be said for the Everton team of which he was a key part, a side that was undoubtedly one of the strongest in Europe during the mid-1980s when Howard (Kendall) had them playing some brilliant football.'

The 75-year-old was in the directors box for Manchester United's win over Crystal Palace