UNITED'S unsung title heroes have been picked out for special mention by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Michael Carrick has carried the burden of an £18m tag since his summer move from Tottenham. His midfield style split United fans and critics alike.

Last term Nemanja Vidic was regarded as a raw stopper when he arrived from Spartak Moscow in January 2006 for £7m. His opening months baptism was a shaky one.

Then home produced products Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea had question marks over them as to whether they were of true Manchester United standard.

Emerged

Once again the Reds support and expert pundits were as one in their suspicions of the Scot and Irishman's ability to be major Old Trafford figures.

But the quartet emerged as key men in the Premiership title success.

"Nemanja Vidic is the best centre-half in the country. He has been absolutely outstanding," says Sir Alex.

"Everybody saw the improvement in him. You could see the difference it made when Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were together against Manchester City on Saturday. They were absolutely peerless. It was a fantastic performance by them both.

"That foundation of strength in central defence is something we have been looking for a long time going right back to the days of Gary Pallister and Steve Bruce."

Last summer's outlay went exclusively to Tottenham's bank account for £18m Carrick with the pursuit of Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves ending in frustration and failure.

Carrick arriving in the wake of Roy Keane's controversial mid-season exit and taking over from the popular inspirational captains in his number 16 shirt meant a tough time for the Geordie.

"We were looking for a new Roy Keane but you can't get one," added Ferguson.

"Although Carrick started out reasonably quiet, he turned into a fantastic force for us.

"To my mind, he was as instrumental as anyone in winning the title for us.

"Paul Scholes coming back was a boost for us because it had been a concern last year because of his vision problem. When he came back during the season means it was like having a new player.

Standard

"It was like a free transfer of an international standard player. More importantly, he just gelled with Carrick and that was a big break for us."

O'Shea and Fletcher had not been in Fergie's recognised first choice XI when everyone was fit.

Outings for them in the first part of the campaign in Denmark against Copenhagen and at Southend in the Carling Cup when the fringe squad were on duty pointed to their status in a squad reckoned by many to be weak in depth.

But when United's spring injury curse saw the Reds dropping like ninepins it was the pair who helped stabilise the title run-in.

"They are developing players. Players like O'Shea came to this club and had no frame," said the Reds boss.

"He was just a big, tall, skinny boy. Fletcher was the same. They are stronger now and we have seen the progress they have made with the fitness coaches.

"You can tell with these types of players that they are starting to mature. That is what we are seeing.

"Now we have the foundation of players like Giggs, Scholes, Solskjaer, Ferdinand and Neville. That is a good foundation for us.

"We have brought players in to change it round. Heinze, Vidic, Evra, Rooney, Carrick, Ronaldo, Park. It gave us a more balanced and powerful squad.

"We have won the title and it is this team's first attempt at it. That is why we are all encouraged."

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