BERBATOV: WE CAN’T LET TITLE JINX TAKE GRIP

DIMITAR BERBATOV fears former club Manchester United could suffer the same long-term title torture as Liverpool if they don’t give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer backing.

Berbatov (below), the former Bulgaria striker who won the Premier League twice in four seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson, has called on Old Trafford bosses to allow Solskjaer to rebuild the club the way Ferguson did 30 years ago.

He believes the lure of Old Trafford is still strong – and hopes Solskjaer can find a rough diamond as Ferguson did buying

Eric Cantona (above) from Leeds in 1992.

He added: “Manchester United are still Manchester United. If I was a player now, I would look at the club and think, ‘that’s where I want to be’.

“I would want to be the guy who is going to turn it all around. I would want to be like Cantona.

“Of course, top players want to win trophies, but there are some clubs that also offer you the chance to be a legend. United are one of those clubs.

“I hope Ole can find a player like that, like Cantona.”

But if the right moves are not made, Berbatov says United could face decades of title pain – just like arch-rivals Liverpool.

He said: “I don’t think anyone associated with United thought the club would fail like this so quickly after Ferguson retired.

“It is now, what, six years without the title? And they are now so far behind Manchester City, Liverpool and even Tottenham that I don’t see them being champions at the moment.

“Then it becomes eight, nine, 10 seasons and very quickly you will find yourself in the same position as Liverpool are now.

“That’s why United must give Ole the freedom to buy the players he needs and sell the players he doesn’t want at the club. Maybe there will be some pain, especially financially. But David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho all failed to win the title and the club have got into a bad habit of buying players without knowing how they will fit into the team.

“Can you imagine United not winning the title for 29 years? Probably not, when you think of what they achieved not so long ago.

“But it is possible. Look what happened to Liverpool. They haven’t won the title since 1990. For every United fan, that is our worst nightmare.”

Berbatov, now aged 38, is studying for his own coaching badges and spent time with Solskjaer before the Manchester derby on Wednesday night.

United were beaten 2-0 by City – and he admits that the dynamic of the great Mancunian rivalry has changed in the 11 years since he snubbed the Blues to wear the famous red shirt.

He signed for United in August 2008 for £30.8million from Spurs – but only after Ferguson drove to Manchester Airport to pick him up after hearing City had a rival deadline-day bid accepted.

“I would make the same decision today,” said Berbatov, now an official ambassador for online gambling company Betfair.

“But I have to admit that I would have loved to have played for a team managed by Pep Guardiola.

“I think Pep is one of the great managers, and the fact that he is at City shows how much the rivalry has changed.

“Back then, you didn’t say no to Manchester United – and I hope that’s still the case. But I do worry.

“If you are Gareth Bale leaving Real Madrid and there’s offers from United and Spurs, which club do you join if you want the big trophies in the next five years?”