Soccer:Alex Ferguson has questioned the need for talks ahead of Manchester United's league encounter with Liverpool at Old Trafford on February 11th. Relations between the two clubs have been soured since the racism row between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra exploded when the two sides last met in October.

Further bad blood was spilled as Liverpool attempted to defend their striker, with the Reds questioning why Suarez’s word was being ignored in favour of Evra. Subsequently, Suarez was found guilty of making racist comments by an independent disciplinary commission and banned for eight matches.

Yet even in accepting the punishment earlier this week, Liverpool — and Suarez - have avoided any suggestion of an apology to Evra.

United have said nothing on the entire matter, other than questioning the need for Liverpool’s statements in support of the Uruguayan prior to the disciplinary hearing.

Privately they have been irritated by Liverpool’s stance though and Ferguson has cooled talk of discussions between the two clubs, reports of which emerged this morning, before they meet again, by which time Suarez will be available.

“It is nice of them to do it through the press,” said Ferguson. “You would have thought they would come to Manchester United first. I do not see why there is any need for it. But I have nothing to say about it.”

Ferguson, meanwhile, has attempted to explain why he doesn’t expect United to do any transfer business this month — and that includes signing Frank Lampard from Chelsea. After successive losses to Blackburn and Newcastle, once again the issue of United’s squad is the subject of hot debate amongst Red Devils supporters.

Midfield is an obvious area of concern, which has only heightened since the retirement of Paul Scholes and subsequent long-term absences of Tom Cleverley and Darren Fletcher. It is little wonder therefore Lampard’s name has appeared in connection with United.

The veteran England man does not appear to be one of Andre Villas-Boas’ favourites and with 18 months left on his contract, it would appear to be a smart move if United could get him.

“You are not going to tell me Chelsea would sell Frank Lampard to Manchester United in January. Do you really believe that?” said Ferguson. “There is no foundation to that. Chelsea are like us. They want to do something. The second half of the season is going to be important to them.

“If they want to try and win the league they will need to have all their best players.”

Tellingly, Ferguson’s comments did not convey a lack of interest, just a belief Chelsea would want to keep Lampard.

The same could be said of many potential targets, which is why he believes it is better to trust the players at his disposal, even though defeat in Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Manchester City would pile even more pressure on the men from Old Trafford.

“The thing is, what can you get in January?” he said. “I have said this all the time. The players who are available that we would like, we won’t get. What do you do? Do you take a second-rate player? No, of course you don’t.

“The injury situation has accelerated a lot of our fans into saying we will have to get someone. I would rather stick with the ones I have got than bring someone in who ends up not having a game anyway because they are not good enough.”