David Moyes insists Manchester United still believe he is the right man to lead the club despite the champions' poor start to the season.
United's troubled opening six games to the Premier League campaign led some to suggest the Old Trafford outfit may look to bring Ferguson back.
The 71-year-old quashed any of that talk during his extended interview in the United States this week, insisting Moyes was the right man to step in.
Moyes believes that statement will be proved correct.
"Manchester United is a good club," he said. "I am sure they know they picked the right man for the job. Sir Alex was part of that process as well."
Nevertheless, United head to Sunderland on Saturday looking to avoid a third successive Premier League defeat, something they have not experienced since 2001.
It is anticipated Wayne Rooney will have recovered from the shin problem that kept him out of Wednesday's Champions League draw with Shakhtar Donetsk.
However, as United did not return to the UK until yesterday evening, and are not due to train until this afternoon, Moyes could offer no injury bulletin.
"I have not seen him yet," said Moyes. "I cannot give you an update."
United face a team who have been plunged into turmoil following manager Paolo di Canio's dismissal.
As Moyes knows only too well - his Everton team were beaten at the Stadium of Light last season at a point when Sunderland were still basking in Di Canio's arrival.
"Di Canio had just got the job and I lost that game," said Moyes. "It was probably one of the only games I lost at Everton in the last 11 or 12 games.
"We go up there now with a new manager again, Kevin Ball, but he has been there [for a while].
"He's very experienced, he knows the club and he knows the players. He'll have watched all the games and he'll know what he has to do in this short-term period.
"Whether he gets the job or not, nobody knows but Sunderland look as if they played quite well in the last couple of games."
