THE RED HALF of Manchester gave an enormous sigh of relief last night as Michael Carrick’s 20-yard effort overcame a resilient Wigan Athletic. Now just one point is all that stands between Sir Alex Ferguson and a third successive Premier League title and 11th in total.
This coming Saturday the Reds play host to an Arsenal side lacking any leadership, defensive cohesion or attacking fluidity. A 4-1 home thrashing at the hands of Chelsea last weekend and a knockout blow in the Champions League would surely give justification to an almost certain United victory in just under 48 hours time. Or would it?
Think back to a time when Hiddink, Benitez and Abramovich were not making the back page headlines. The battle for top dog was contested solely between Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, (except that 01/02 season that Houllier guided Liverpool to 2nd). Amidst the fog horns and war signals, a rivalry formed. A rivalry that, post Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, has failed to ignite in the last couple of years. Instead the press captured the Mourinho vs. Ferguson antics and of late, the spat between Sir Alex and Rafa. This rivalry not only shaped an intriguing decade of contests but also captured the player’s emotions and will to triumph.
That same emotion - although dormant - is not lost. The true question is not, ‘’Can Manchester United snatch another league title under Alex Ferguson?’’, but ‘’Can Arsene Wenger install that much needed belief into a lacklustre side and take the game to their rivals?’’
If the first question’s answer is YES, then Ferguson can roll into Hull last day of the season and field a reserve side – both eyes firmly fixed on a date with Barcelona. If the positive answer arrives from the latter question, then all will not be lost for the Scousers who will be cheering London for the next few days.
Not so great in Toon-Ville
It is the foot of the table, however, that is providing more twists and turns than the Thames River. It has taken two Messiah’s, one hospitalisation and one baldy, to scrape the Magpies out of the bottom three, but for how long?
After a turbulent battle against Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough on Monday, Newcastle claimed all three points after two super substitutes from Alan Shearer. Obi Martins and Peter Lovenkrands came off the bench to give Shearer his first win as boss and creep past Hull City on goal difference. The job is not done yet and the former England star admitted that all the hard work was yet to come.
From Southgate’s point of view it’s an uphill battle now, as his side remains three points off the chase. He quite rightly put that whoever lost the collision on Monday would be doomed and it looks just that. After a heartbraking game Southgate said, ''We've conceded goals at a crucial time but they got the fortune that it dropped to them in the box. We can analyse what we've done but I'm proud of what the players have given tonight.''
Nice guys don’t win and unfortunately for Gareth and Chairmen, Steve Gibson, the pair will be rueing that old saying in the Championship next year.
With West Brom somehow sliding into the picture, it’s up to all teams in that relegation battle to stay on their guard. Let’s have a look on what’s to come in the final two fixtures at the bottom.
Sunderland 36 Points
Remaining Fixtures - Portsmouth (A) and Chelsea (H)
Newcastle 34 Points
Remaining Fixtures – Fulham (H)
Hull City 34 Points
Remaining Fixtures – Bolton (A)
Middlesbrough 31 Points
Remaining Fixtures – Aston Villa (H)
West Brom 31 Points
Remaining Fixtures – Liverpool (H) and Blackburn Rovers (A)
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