Much of what passes Sir Alex Ferguson's lips before a big match can be filed under the category entitled “mind games”, but yesterday, as he looked ahead to the Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow next week, he seemed more interested in delivering a few home truths to Avram Grant.

Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, made headlines yesterday morning by venturing that Manchester United had won the Barclays Premier League title only because refereeing decisions had gone in their favour. With the opportunity to hit back yesterday, Ferguson did not so much rise to the bait as dismiss the claim with contempt, suggesting that Grant's comments were designed to influence the match officials at the Luzhniki Stadium on Wednesday and, moreover, that United had proved beyond doubt that they were the better team over the course of the season.

“We were without question the best team this season in the league,” Ferguson said. “Even Chelsea's players have said that we were the best.

“I was half-expecting that . I don't think it's about our game at Wigan on Sunday. I think it's about next Wednesday and maybe about next season. There were many decisions that went against us over the course of the season. I could go on and on about decisions. Maybe when we went to Chelsea [on April 26] we should already have been champions. But now the season is over, we can put it on the back burner.”

With the title won, albeit not with as much to spare as Ferguson might have hoped, there was a relaxed air about United's preparations for the final as they opened the doors to the media yesterday. Their training session was intense, but there was laughter throughout as Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Anderson and others ran through their repertoire of tricks. Ronaldo's subsequent comments to the Spanish media may have raised concerns higher up the club, but, at dressing-room level, there is an atmosphere of expectation before the flight to Moscow on Monday.

“We are taking our achievement with us,” Ferguson said. “Obviously it might not have a bearing, because Chelsea have a lot of experience in their squad, but it won't harm us, that's for sure. Chelsea have a more mature team than us, but the one thing we have got is a good big-game temperament. That will help.” Ryan Giggs, sitting alongside his manager, nodded sagely. There has been no more experienced player in the club's history than the 34-year-old, who stands to surpass Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 758 appearances for United on Wednesday, and he appeared relaxed, even though, like several others, he is far from guaranteed a place in the starting line-up against Chelsea.

“I think we've just been enjoying winning the Premiership and celebrating that, but now we're just concentrating on what will be a massive game for everyone,” Giggs said. “We're ready for it. We enjoyed winning the title on Sunday and we will enjoy this.” A recurring theme from Ferguson in recent days has been his dilemma over his team selection for the final, with Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Giggs, Park Ji Sung, Nani and Carlos Tévez perhaps fighting for three positions in the team, depending on what tactical approach the manager chooses. Ferguson gave what may or may not prove to be an insight into his thoughts, when he said that Park, the South Korea midfield player, “has got a chance, a very good chance” and then suggested that Hargreaves “whether or not he starts ... will play a part.”

Ferguson's players, though, would not dare to second-guess him, particularly where it comes to competition for places among those who will be left out of the starting line-up. He appears genuinely vexed by the idea of leaving some of his players out of the 18-man squad, but these, he has said, are the decisions he is paid to make. And when it comes to such decisions, there are few better at making them.