WAS it really the gamble that has cost Sir Alex Ferguson the title and the Champions League? writes Richard Mulligan

Reports at the weekend suggested that Juan Sebastian Veron is on his way out of Manchester United after an alleged bust-up with team-mates which followed their elimination from Europe last week.

Ferguson vehemently backed the Argentinian yesterday, describing him as "a great player", but it is unlikely he will feature against Arsenal on Wednesday night after picking up an injury, and rumours persist he will soon return to Lazio.

Veron cost United a British record £28.1 million when he arrived from the Rome club last summer, with Fergie hoping that he would be the final piece in his pursuit of European domination.

For all the plaudits surrounding their virtual monopoly of the Premiership over the last decade, Ferguson has managed just one Champions League win, which is three years ago. Now, despite the bumper outlay on Veron, United have lost their domestic supremacy and failed to win the title for the first time in four years.

Ferguson's self-indulgence in retaining Veron's place in the side, despite statistics that show United are a better team when he does not play, has been the most controversial talking point at Old Trafford.

Veron was not the man that United needed, and the fans knew that even before the first ball of the season was kicked.

Says Steven Lewis of Manchester United Supporters Club: "I was a bit unsure about signing Veron in the first place. We needed a defender to line up alongside Jaap Stam in the centre of defence, we already had the best midfield in Europe.

"I had not seen too much of Veron, but I was told that he was similar to Zidane, so from that point of view it seemed like we had a bargain with him being £20 million cheaper than Madrid paid for Zidane.

"He impressed in the first couple of months because of his trickery in midfield and his goalscoring, but since he was Player of the Month in October he has been abysmal.

"At the moment he can't even pass the ball and his work-rate is dreadful, especially when he lines up alongside David Beckham and Roy Keane. He seems to be back in Italy every time he gets the chance.

"I'd like to see him return to Lazio this summer, but I think we'd probably get quite a bit less than we paid for him."

Although his lack of effort is a sticking point, it is perhaps the fault of Fergie himself rather than the South American that the move has not worked out. Veron has been used in the centre of midfield, on both flanks, just behind van Nistelrooy and even in central defence, but has still not found a position where he looks settled.

His arrival only seemed to disrupt the reliable midfield. In August Fergie did more to unbalance a good thing by selling Stam for reasons other than football, and then proceded to drop England captain David Beckham for an extended spell over the winter.

With no right-hand man of the calibre of Brian Kidd or Steve McClaren these days, Ferguson has been determined to do things his way in the continued pursuit of honours.

But apart from his horse Rock Of Gibraltar taking the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, his only success story in the past year has been the excellent signing of Ruud van Nistelrooy.

While the players seem to remain with the manager - who was talked into signing a new three year deal in January - many of the fans are not just questioning the scapegoat Veron.

Continues Lewis: "Of course, Ferguson has won so many trophies that it is hard to question his judgement. But he has become stubborn, often it seems he does things just because other people tell him not to.

"He's trying to tactically match his European counterparts, and his main strength has always been his ability to motivate his team.

"When United won the Champions League it was because they blitzed their opponents, and the Italian and German clubs could not handle it.

"United have been constantly found out by top European teams when they try to play like a continental side."

But despite Arsenal's likely Double and the improving Liverpool, Ferguson has lost none of his confidence.

After going out of the Champions League last week, Fergie still said: "I think we've had a good campaign.

"We were only a whisker away from getting to the Champions League final and we play the best football in England.

"Since Christmas we have been the best team in the league."

Arsenal's projected Double and 11 consecutive Premiership wins puts that opinion in to doubt.

Old Trafford will experience major changes this summer with Laurent Blanc, Dennis Irwin, Dwight Yorke and, maybe, Phil Neville likely to head for the exit doors.

With Ferguson's confidence and swagger undented by this season's failure, could it be that United's biggest gamble has been to trust the rebuilding of the club, regarded as the biggest in the world, with the same manager?