Magnier United? No thanks

No wonder Fergie is smiling as the fans rally round and Saha strikes

The massive Manchester United contingent at Old Trafford rose as one five minutes into the match against Southampton to blow a loud raspberry at the club's major shareholders John Magnier and J P McManus in greeting the manager Sir Alex Ferguson's appearance in the pitchside technical area with an ovation and chants of affection. Less than 15 minutes later they were on their feet again to acclaim a debut goal for Louis Saha and, by extension, Ferguson's fine judgement in asking the club to sign him as the Frenchman set United on their way to a 3-2 win.

If Magnier and McManus, whose running row with Ferguson has its roots not in football but in horseracing, did not already realise it they now know not to expect any sympathy from the fans if they challenge the club's remarkably successful manager. After all, Ferguson has given United the same sort of powerful position in their field as, say, the Irish pair's Coolmore Stud in theirs. At regular intervals United fans put down their anti-Magnier banners again to produce more outpourings of adulation. "It was great," said Ferguson in untouchable mode. "I wouldn't say it gives me inner strength, though ­ I have never lacked that."

Saha, having paid off part of his £12.8m transfer fee with the opening goal (the £750,000 that went to the agents involved, perhaps), then set up the second for Paul Scholes with a blistering shot after a clever interchange which involved his strike partner, Ruud van Nistelrooy. "I couldn't be more pleased with Louis," Ferguson said. "He had an excellent game. He is quick, aggressive and looked a real threat. There are signs that his partnership with Ruud could develop really well. The most important thing is that we do not want Ruud to carry the attacking burden. If they can both contribute as they did today we will be all right." And so will the club's value on the stock market.

But United unexpectedly slipped into hairdryer territory as their defence folded in Rio Ferdinand's absence and allowed Kevin Phillips to double his Premiership goal tally for the season with two goals, his equaliser a long-range strike. The nerves of fans and Ferguson alike were settled, though, by a winning goal from Van Nistelrooy that sparked a typical football dispute with Southampton's manager, Gordon Strachan, complaining over offside and handball decisions his side did not receive from the referee, Graham Barber. Having used the word farce in describing the impact of Barber's refereeing, he then delivered more scorn on the subject of referees as celebrities.

Celebrity shareholders can be just as unsettling, especially when relationships are soured by events beyond the football arena. Ferguson and his erstwhile racing friends have to settle their differences over the stallion Rock Of Gibraltar and the rights to stud fees, and talks on resolving the row are expected to start soon.