Roused by Sir Alex Ferguson's words of wisdom, it would seem Europe simply cannot lose the Ryder Cup this week. If the perception still exists of 'Fergie Time', that generous amount of minutes added on to the added on minutes during a Manchester United match, then the hosts will simply keep playing golf until they have won.

Imagine that? Phil Mickelson thinks he's beaten Rory McIlroy 2&1 but still loses on the 23rd.

By all accounts, Sir Alex's appearance in the European team room went down a storm, even if this corner of the Gleneagles Hotel was populated by a variety of Arsenal, Celtic, Nottingham Forest and Real Madrid fans. It was not the hairdryer treatment, more a moment that got the hairs on the back of the necks pricking up. Very pwoud? Manchester United fan McIlroy certainly thought so. He may have conquered the golfing world, but McIlroy is still just a 25-year-old lad with his own awe-inspiring heroes.

"It was the highlight of the week so far," said the world No.1. "I was just sitting there and looking up at him and I didn't take my eyes off him. I was sort of in this trance just listening to everything that he was saying. I was thinking 'this is all the stuff that he's probably said to Manchester United teams over the years'. Not everyone in that room was a United fan . . . and they made that known. But it was very useful.

"We got to ask him questions about different things and what he thought was the key element to being a successful team. They are little details in the bigger picture, but it could be that half a percent or a one percent that helps us get back that little trophy. He's a very inspirational man when he talks. He's got that authority and the room just goes quiet and everyone listens."

It was McIlroy folk were listening in to yesterday. There were oohs and aahs when the Northern Irishman was spotted on the range trying out a new driver. In the high stakes arena of the Ryder Cup, many have viewed that kind of tinkering as a risky move and given McIlroy's well-documented trials and tribulations with new kit last year, some questioned the reasons behind it.

Ahead of the 2004 Ryder Cup, Phil Mickelson changed clubs and lost three of his four matches during a wayward week in Detroit. McIlroy moved quickly to temper any knee-jerk concerns, though. "Phil nearly hit me off the tee that week; I was standing down the left hand side so I'm aware of what he did then," said a smiling McIlroy, who was a teenager peering on from the sidelines back then having competed in the Junior Ryder Cup.

"Look, Phil changed from one equipment manufacturer to another. This is a driver I've actually been using and practising with since June. I wouldn't be putting it in the bag if I didn't feel it was better. Everyone saw that it was the only driver I had out there in the bag. It's looking likely that it'll be in the bag this week."

It is all about hitting the targets this week. And McIlroy is the target the Americans have their sights set on. As the global leader and back-to-back major champion this season, it is hardly surprising that he is the prized scalp in the European line-up. The talk is of plundering a point and making a psychological point too.

Alongside Ian Poulter, the talismanic Englishman who has racked up 12 points from 15 cup campaigns down the years, McIlroy seems to be a wanted man. In this all-clubs blazing shoot-out, the reigning Open and US PGA champion reckons there is still a bigger bounty on Poulter's head.

Asked to put himself in an American's shoes and say who he would like to beat most out of the European pair, McIlroy hummed, hawed and then said: "In this format, in this environment and in the Ryder Cup, probably Poulter just because how good his record is. I know [Tom] Watson has been talking about targeting us two but at the same time that's only one sixth of the team. If someone beats me, they win a point. They win a match against me, they get a point; no more, no less."

As the global game's new powerhouse, McIlroy is used to operating under the intense pressure and scrutiny that comes with being at the top of his game. It is a frontrunning role McIlroy simply revels in. The message is clear. If anyone fancies a square go, then McIlroy is ready for the fight.

"I'm the sort of character who enjoys being in the spotlight," he said, ahead of his third Ryder Cup appearance. "It all comes as part of what I've done this year. I expect it."

Fergie has had his time at Gleneagles. McIlroy and Team Europe are nearly ready for theirs.