Ferguson eyes ‘big, big chance’
LONDON: English champions Manchester United go into this weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures with just one thing on their mind: staying within striking distance of leaders Manchester City.
The clubs are separated by just two points, and United manager Alex Ferguson is already looking to the match between them at the Etihad Stadium on April 30.
“I would take (being on City’s heels),” he told United’s official website. “I would rather go there level on points, but if we could go there within striking distance of being top of the league, I’d take it.”
Having won a record 19th league title last summer, the Red Devils are past masters at timing their push during the second half of a season, and the pressure is growing on their “noisy neighbours” to show they have what it takes to claim the major prize in English football.
While City will be confident of taking three points off relegation-threatened Bolton Wanderers tomorrow, United have the tough task of winning against third-placed Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Spurs’ form has made their manager, Harry Redknapp, the favourite to be offered the vacant England job, and Ferguson knows his side will need to be in top form if they are to win. “It’s going to be a massive game,” he said. “If we can survive this one, then we’ll have a big, big chance of winning the league.”
United will be without Chris Smalling, who went to hospital with a head injury after an accidental clash of heads during England’s friendly interna- tional against the Netherlands on Wednesday. But Ferguson should be able to call on striker Wayne Rooney, who missed that game because he was still recovering from a throat infection.
The wily Scot believes Rooney’s experience, together with that of the likes of veterans Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, could be vital in the run-in.
“Wayne Rooney’s been with us for nearly eight years now and he’s won a few championship medals,” Ferguson said. “He knows what it takes to win it.
“When he and Cristiano Ronaldo first came to the club, it was all new to them – the demands of winning the league. I think the aim for all the players is to try and get to four or five league medals and then they’ll have great experience of how to handle the title race.”
The Manchester club have not lost at White Hart Lane since 2001, but Ferguson is not taking anything for granted.
“They’ve got a fantastic squad and a goal threat throughout the team,” he pointed out. “Gareth Bale con- tributes, Rafael van der Vaart, (Jermain) Defoe, (Emmanuel) Adebayor. They’ve got goals in their team.”
The battle for fourth place – and the final Champions League spot for next season – will hot up as Arsenal, in that position on goal difference from Chelsea, travel to Anfield to play Liverpool, who are seventh, but only seven points behind, and with a game in hand.
The Reds will be boosted by their League Cup final win last Sunday, while Arsenal should be on a high in the wake of their impressive 5-2 victory over north London rivals Tottenham on the same day.
Fifth-placed Chelsea are away to West Bromwich Albion, and Newcastle United, in sixth, host Sunderland in a north-east derby.
Bottom club Wigan Athletic will be eyeing three points against visitors Swansea City, knowing that could take them out of an increasingly congested bottom three. – Sapa-dpa