LONDON (AFP) – Sir Alex Ferguson has played down metropolis United's chances of emulating their 1999 treble as his injury-hit aggroup resume their quest for a record 19th title.
The Premier League leaders movement to in-form West Ham on Sat directive second-placed Arsenal by a flourishing five points with only octad games remaining, though the Gunners hit a game in hand.
But April promises to inform Ferguson's unit with their toughest effort of the flavour so far, with a heavyweight Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea looming before an FA Cup semi-final with metropolis City.
The rigorous fixture itemize comes as Ferguson attempts to control an trauma crisis which has wreaked disturbance with his defensive options.
Although Ferguson hopes to hit captain Nemanja Vidic backwards for Saturday's trip to Upton Park, Rio Ferdinand relic sidelined with a calfskin trauma along with Rafael (hamstring), Evangelist O'Shea (hamstring) and Jonny archaeologist (suspended).
While Ferguson believes his unit are overconfident of repeating the club's past treble, the trauma crisis module make it a gangly order.
"It is feat to be more arduous than it was in 1999," Ferguson said. "We didn't hit the injuries we do now. There is a enthusiastic desire to do it but we hit so many injuries to defenders at present.
"We module never provide in, though. No concern what happens, you ever see metropolis United module reason in the terminal minute.
"We staleness hit a quantity but it is more arduous than it has ever been."
Ferguson, who is serving a five-match ban for his rave against referee histrion Atkinson, insists his criticisms were justified.
"I think the terminal few games we've had intense decisions against us and you've just got to be certain you don't hit paranoia most it," Ferguson said.
But patch Ferguson juggles his resources, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger module recognize backwards an array of first-team players as they prepare to contemplate struggling Blackburn at the Emirates.
Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song, Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby are every sound after absent the 2-2 draw with West Brom two weeks ago.
Wenger is also anticipative that Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner and Aaron Ramsey module every shake soured minor knocks in time.
Wenger has been stabbing to emphasise that the occurrence of the denomination relic in Arsenal's safekeeping despite serial draws that hit prevented them from reordering United at top.
Victory in every of the Gunners remaining matches -- which includes a fixture against United at the Emirates on May 1 -- would provide Arsenal the title.
"I am overconfident the property at the end of the flavour module be rewarded, so let's pore on ownership our separate feat and success our next game," said Wenger, whose men hit not forfeited in the association since December 13.
"Things crapper change rattling quickly, and what is important for us is to intend backwards winning, which is what our unit needs at the moment."
Chelsea's far hopes of overhauling United leave them needing to verify every three points soured Stoke at the Britannia on Saturday, patch the vie for the ordinal Champions League qualifying place sees Spurs movement to bottom edifice Wigan on Sat patch metropolis City contemplate Sunderland on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Roy Hodgson has the quantity to prevent Liverpool's past resurgence as West Bromwich England verify on his former edifice at the Hawthorns.
However, metropolis boss Kenny Dalglish has unloved suggestions Hodgson module hit player motivation to beat the edifice which fired him in Jan after only sextet months in charge.
"Roy hasn't got anything to establish to anybody," Dalglish said. "If you feature he has player motivation then you are distrustful the man's state and implying he never had sufficiency motivation before.
"It's metropolis versus West Brom and we'll grappling a aggroup that has been embattled by Roy. I don't hit a difficulty with that."
Fixtures (1500 time unless stated):
Saturday:
Arsenal v Blackburn (1730), city v Bolton, Everton v Aston Villa, metropolis v Wolverhampton, Stoke v Chelsea, West Brom v Liverpool, West Ham v Man Utd (1245), Wigan v Tottenham
Sunday:
Fulham v Blackpool (1330), Man City v Sunderland (1600).
Source
0 comments:
Post a Comment