Beckham says he wants to stay at United

England captain David Beckham said on Monday his future lay at Manchester United.

"I want to carry on playing for Manchester United," Beckham told the Manchester Evening News. "They are the team I support, they are the team my family support and it is the place where I am most loved by the fans and I love them."

Beckham's contract expires in the summer of 2003 and he has yet to sign a new one.

The 26-year-old midfielder, who was crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday, was again relegated to the substitutes' bench last Saturday as West Ham United inflicted a second straight premier league defeat on the champions.

Beckham, though, said he understood Ferguson's reasons for leaving him out.

"All players need a rest or are left on the bench for many reasons," Beckham told BBC online. "It has been well documented this week. I want to play every game but that's not possible and when the manager decides to leave you on the bench then you respect that.

"I'm not going to question the manager for whatever he does. It's his decision and I do respect that."

United suffered their sixth defeat of an increasingly troubled campaign against West Ham, leaving them 11 points behind leaders Liverpool, but Beckham insisted his team would not surrender their title without a fight.

"We have made it an uphill task for ourselves - a very uphill task," he said. "I can't put my finger on why it has happened, it is just one of those things.

"But this team will come together and will stay together as a team. As players we have got to believe that we can still be in with a chance."

Slide show: David Beckham - BBC Sports Personality of the Year

Also read: Beckham wins BBC award