De Gea up for a fight if you want United's No1 jersey, warns Lindegaard

When Manchester United paid Atletico Madrid £17.8million last month to make David De Gea the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of British football, there was every reason to assume the young Spaniard would automatically be installed as the new No.1 at Old Trafford.

However, the man expected to sit dutifully on the bench as De Gea's deputy does not quite see it that way.

No glove lost: Lindegaard says the price tag won't mean anything to Sir Alex Ferguson

Anders Lindegaard is certainly not lacking in self-confidence, and he prepared for De Gea's long-awaited arrival in Seattle on Sunday by warning the 20-year-old that he will fight him all the way to succeed Edwin van der Sar as United's first-choice keeper this season.

Lindegaard, still a relative newcomer himself after signing from Danish club Aalesund for £3.5m in January, played in United's opening tour win over New England Revolution and refuses to accept it is a foregone conclusion that Sir Alex Ferguson will opt for the more expensive De Gea.

'Of course I'm not happy to be No.2,' said the 27-year-old Denmark international, whose two competitive appearances for United came in last season's FA Cup.

'I didn't come to United to sit on the bench and watch football as a privileged fan. I'm here to play and make my way and earn my respect.

Gloves off: David De Gea will have a fight on his hands to be the No.1 at Old Trafford

'There's been a lot of media talk about De Gea but my focus isn't on him to be honest because I won't gain anything from that. My focus is what I can do something about. That's what I focus on and what I will use my energy on.

'From my point of view, Edwin was a legend at United and one of the top two goalkeepers ever to play for the club. He had a natural position at United when I came and that was very hard to deal with for a player coming in from the outside.

'But him retiring makes the spot available and it's the most attractive goalkeeping job in the world. It's the job everybody wants and I'm no different. I want that job.

'The boss told me when I came that he doesn't care how you look, what your name is, your price tag or what your religion is - if you're good enough, you're going to play.

'That's the same with all the places at Manchester United. The best man plays. That's how it is and how it should be.'

United legend: Edwin van der Sar will be hard to replace between the sticks

Lindegaard pointed to the example of Javier Hernandez who was expected to have little impact in his first season at Old Trafford following a £7m move from Mexican club Chivas last summer yet ended up scoring 20 goals and keeping Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen out of the team.

Asked if he might surprise the people who assumed he was signed as a back-up keeper, Lindegaard said: 'I hope so. You have players coming to the club who are not huge signings and make their way.

'Chicharito was maybe the best player last season but he wasn't brought in as a huge star. He made his way and he's a real example of how to do it.

'There are a lot of clever experts in this game and that's just a part of it. I don't mind what the experts say.'

On target: Owen scored in United's friendly against the New England Revolution

Owen's clinically-taken goal at the Gillette Stadium on Thursday, just six minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute, was a reminder of his enduring quality and why Ferguson had little hesitation in offering the former England striker a new one-year deal this summer.

The 31-year-old is aware that it raised a few eyebrows among United fans who thought he would leave having collected his Premier League title medal last season after making just 11 appearances and playing for less than four hours in total.

Owen prefers to remember his first season at Old Trafford when he scored nine goals in 31 games, including a memorable winner in the Manchester derby, a Champions League hat-trick against Wolfsburg and the equaliser in United's Carling Cup Final win over Aston Villa.

'Some people may have short memories, but I haven't,' he said. 'I know what I'm capable of and everyone at the club does too.

Topper the pops: Michael Owen (centre) with jockey Richard Kingscote (left) after Brown Panther won the King George V Handicap

'I was delighted to win the league but part of you wants to win another one and play a bigger part next time.

'I didn't get two medals for winning the FA Cup when I scored twice in the final though. Sometimes you totally justify winning something and then there are times when others play more of a part.

'Last season was one of those times from my point of view, but the manager obviously saw something that made him want to keep me and he says I will be involved a lot more this year.'

Asked what he would have done if Ferguson had not offered him a new deal, Owen said: 'Thank God I never had to think about that. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I was delighted when the manager told me towards the end of the season that he wanted me to stay.'

When Owen wept tears of joy after his colt Brown Panther won at Royal Ascot last month, some suggested that he could soon turn his back on football altogether and follow his love of horse racing.

But he said: 'That will never be my career. It's just a big passion of mine, that will always be there in the background. But football is my main passion and everyone knows that.

'I would like to think that if I stop playing in three, four or five years' time, whatever it may be, that I would be involved in football and still have that as my profession. It's my passion and what I know.'