Goal difference nightmare inspired United to title
MANCHESTER: A large part of this year’s Premier League title race was settled at the end of last season when Manchester United’s horror at losing out on goal difference to neighbours Manchester City turned into a ruthless pursuit of records, goals and a 20th league crown.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson vowed his team would never again miss out because they had not scored enough goals and swiftly brought in prolific striker Robin van Persie to make absolutely sure.
“The only thing I said to them at the start of the season was make sure we do not lose on goal difference again,” Ferguson, celebrating his and the club’s 13th Premier League title last night, told the club’s in-house TV channel, MUTV.
“That was the first time we had ever lost on goal difference. That to me was the challenge – that goal difference must be better than what they’ve got across the road (at City).”
His words had the desired effect, as United have so far notched 78 league goals, compared with City’s 59, with almost a third (24) coming from Van Persie. With 35 conceded, they have let in five more than City but the goals they have scored easily compensate.
A 3-0 win at home to Aston Villa last night, with their Dutch striker netting a hat-trick, secured the championship with four games to spare to ensure there would be no repeat of last season’s last-gasp heartbreak.
“After what happened last season there’s a lot of teams in the country that would have melted… but not us bunch, they did what Manchester United expect of them and raised the bar,” Ferguson said. “It’s a marvellous performance, 84 points, four games left, it’s fantastic.”
As a man who says he never looks back, only forward, there will be only one thing on his mind over the coming weeks – the record points tally of 95 set by Chelsea in 2004-05, which United can beat by a point if they win all their remaining matches.
Beyond that, the focus will shift to next season, with the Scot confident there is even better to come from a squad that has critics divided when considering how it measures up to others like the 1999 treble winners or 1994 double winners.
“There’s a lot of youth in the team, it’s a team that can stay together for a long time and hopefully they do and Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand, the old codgers, still can carry on,” Ferguson said.
“I’m really happy with the squad, really delighted, they are a good bunch of professionals, of human beings. There is no reason why we can’t go on and improve for next year.”
Giggs, who has extended his contract to play next season when he will turn 40, is still a part of Ferguson’s plan, which is justi- fied by performances such as last night’s where he provided the assist for Van Persie’s secondminute opener.
“He’s a unique freak,” Ferguson said of the midfielder, who has featured in all of the 13 Premier League title wins and has scored in every Premier League season.
Ferguson’s greatest praise this season was reserved for Dutch striker Van Persie, who has made all the difference and whom City have been able only to watch with envy having missed out on his signature.
Asked what he thought about going back to the Emirates as a champion with United, Van Persie replied: “Let us enjoy tonight first.”
His arrival in the close season from Arsenal was a signal that Ferguson would be true to his vow that his side would never again miss out because they had not scored enough goals.
Van Persie’s treble against a young Aston Villa team, who remain a perilous three points above the relegation zone with some damage to their goal difference, took him above Liverpool’s Luis Suarez to top the scoring charts. – Reuters