Blackburn manager Paul Ince is looking forward to doing battle with his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ince is the latest of Ferguson's Manchester United alumni to join the ranks of Premier League management along with Mark Hughes, Steve Bruce and Roy Keane.

Rovers welcome United to Ewood Park on Saturday and Ince cannot wait to take on last season's double winners - a fixture that highlights his remarkable rise from League Two side Macclesfield to the Premier League via MK Dons.

Ince said: "This is the exciting thing about coming to the Premier League. It's a chance to pit yourself against the manager of all time, as far as I'm concerned.

"Fergie has such high standards. I played under a lot of managers but they don't come close. That is no disrespect to them because I don't think anybody does.

"But it's not about me and it's not about Alex Ferguson, it's about the 22 players that go out on the pitch and hopefully we will perform."

Ferguson said he would be happy to offer Ince guidance, saying: "It is not strange offering advice to a rival.

"It does not matter to me at all. That is what I am there for with the experience I have got.

"A lot of managers have asked my advice over the years. It is part of helping people to get on in the game."

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.