It may seem a strange thing to say given his side are eight points adrift of pacesetters Chelsea and Liverpool and lost their second match of the season at Arsenal last week.

But Ferguson is convinced his side are suffering purely from an untimely inability to turn their chances into goals.

And, once they sort that admittedly significant problem out, the Scot feels United will be flying again.

"I actually believe the performance level is better than it was last season," said Ferguson.

"We have just to start finding that little bit extra in terms of our finishing.

"Life has always been the same here. If you lose a game you have to recover immediately.

"Maybe we need to be more ruthless or show more composure at times but there is no doubt, making the chances we are, it will turn for us."

It seems strange for Ferguson to be pin-pointing an attack containing Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, with Carlos Tevez waiting in the wings.

Yet it is true United are wasting scoring opportunities at an alarming rate, even if, after conceding five goals in two matches, the Red Devils' defence also needs to rediscover its old magic.

"You just have to accept there are some little periods in every season where you just can't put the ball in," said Ferguson.

"We have said time and time again, someone will suffer. We just have to concentrate and keep the belief that if we play our football and continue making chances, it will change for us."

Ferguson must also put plenty of faith in Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic tomorrow.

Unlike Arsene Wenger, the United boss will not be berating Stoke's aerial ambitions.

Indeed, Ferguson does not feel Tony Pulis' side are as blatant in their tactics as Wimbledon were when the completed a meteoric rise through English football in the 1980s.

But, in Rory Delap's long throw-ins, the United boss does accept Stoke boast a weapon that is not easily avoided.

"I remember once playing a team that were very useful at corners and saying to mine own 'Don't give any corners away'. We gave one away in the first minute and they scored so I will forget that piece of advice," reflected Ferguson.

"It is impossible anyway. Every team gets throw-ins.

"It is not so much the throws themselves, it is the way Delap propels them. They are really flat, which makes them very difficult to defend."

Ferguson jokingly stated that as Stoke's smallest player was "six foot 15" United knew exactly what was coming their way.

But, unlike Wenger, he does give Potters boss Pulis plenty of credit for the work he has done at the Britannia Stadium.

And, having watched Stoke's now infamous victory over Arsenal a fortnight ago, Ferguson does not feel they are that bad.

"Stoke are an aggressive, competitive team," said Ferguson.

"Tony Pulis' sides have always been like that. It is true teams mirror their manager and Tony is very competitive. But they are not a dirty team.

"Some teams have that label but Stoke are not like that.

"I watched the highlights of their game against Arsenal. There were one or two tasty tackles but nothing over the top."