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manchester united's alex ferguson is in south africa, but there's still one eye on north london... and michael phelps hopes his new speedo suit speeds him to beijing gold. soccer ferguson manchester united manager sir alex ferguson answered questions near johannesburg on tuesday after the red devils confirmed they are to play in the pre-season vodacom challenge. the three-team tournament on south african soil will take place between the 19th and 26th july, and also features top local sides kaizer chiefs and orlando pirates. ferguson's visit to the continent comes in the wake of the africa cup of nations in ghana, and gave him the chance to talk about united's new angolan signing - 24-year-old forward manucho. soundbite (english) "we've just taken on a scout in angola and after a few weeks he said i've got this young boy. if you like, i'll bring him to old trafford for a month on trial to see what you think. and of course he did very, very well." supercaption: sir alex ferguson, manchester united manager ferguson will return to england to prepare united for saturday's visit of arch-rivals arsenal - the stand-out match in the fa cup fifth round. soundbite (english) "we've played arsenal so many times over the years in important games that it's just another one. we won't be fazed by our bad result last sunday because a manchester united and arsenal game does produce a great amount of adrenalin to our players, obviously to arsenal to, and it could go either way." supercaption: sir alex ferguson, manchester united manager the scot will need to rally his side after sunday's 2-1 defeat in the manchester derby, just days after an international break. soundbite (english) "i think when players go on international duty it's a big event. we had, unfortunately, seven players played ninety minutes. no other club in england did anything like that. so it was a bit of a disadvantage, but derby games are always difficult." supercaption: sir alex ferguson, manchester united manager the 2008 challenge will mark the premier league champions' third visit to south africa. united last took part in the event in 2006, when they lost in the final to the chiefs on penalties. swimming new york to celebrate its 80th anniversary the speedo swim company used michael phelps to help launch their revolutionary new suit. designed with the help of nasa, no less, speedo believe the lzr racer could well make the difference for the world's leading swimmer at the beijing olympics - help him match, that is, or even surpass, the seven gold medals won by mark spitz in 1972. soundbite: (english) "it was clearly a pretty high standard that he did back in '72, and that's why no one has been able to duplicate it yet. so just being able for me to have the opportunity to swim as a part of team usa is what i'm looking forward to most, and just being able to compete." supercaption: michael phelps. and what of beijing's stunning new water water cube venue, is it the right setting for phelps to chase the eight medals, six of them gold, he won in athens four years ago? soundbite: (english) "i'm excited. it's definitely a state-of-the-art pool, and i think it's going to be a good olympics." supercaption: michael phelps. a number of the usa's leading swimmers were at the speedo launch in new york, all of them including natalie coughlin and phelps expect strong opposition in the chinese capital. soundbite: (english): "i think there are going to be a lot of new faces. australia is always very strong. the japanese have become stronger. there are a handful of european that are very very strong. there's a girl from zimbabwe that is incredibly fast. i think there will be a lot of new people, and i'm sure the chinese will be very fast." supercaption: natalie coughlin. soundbite: (english) "you know, i think that with the olympics being in china, the chinese are going to be very very strong there. they're going to make sure that their team comes out and swims as fast as they can on their own soil to try to get their country excited and behind them 100-percent." supercaption: michael phelps. speedo claim their new lzr reduces drag by five percent, thus significantly increasing the medal prospects of their swimmers.