Fergie’s sights on derby decider

Alex Ferguson believes the entire Barclays Premier League season is building up to a dramatic Manchester derby day crescendo.

United, who face Tottenham tomorrow, are two points adrift of a City side who entertain Bolton 24 hours earlier.

Yet, after that, it is the Red Devils who appear to have the easier run, leaving the battle tantalisingly poised. More and more it seems that crunch game between the reds and the blues at the Etihad on Monday, April 30 will decide everything. Even Ferguson does not disagree.

“It does look that way,” he said. “It is going to be a massive game because you can’t see City dropping a lot of points and you can’t see us dropping a lot of points either. We are getting into consistent form now so it does point to that game.”

So Ferguson is delighted to have a second unsung hero around in Michael Carrick. Much is made of Paul Scholes’ refusal to embrace the glamorous lifestyle of so many modern-day professionals. Yet Carrick rarely attracts attention either.

It could be one of the reasons why the 30-year-old has not featured for England since failing to make an appearance at the 2010 World Cup.

In fairness, Carrick has not always been that popular among the United faithful. However, when the Red Devils take on his former club at White Hart Lane tomorrow , he is virtually certain to be in the starting line-up, just like he has for every major match United have played since his £18.6m arrival in 2006, a period in which he has won four Premier League titles and played in three Champions League finals.

“Michael is not a guy that seeks a lot of publicity,” said Ferguson. “He is a quiet lad. He goes about his life in a similar way to Paul Scholes. It doesn’t mean to say he is not recognised by us. You get players like that. Denis Irwin was much the same. He was not the type to trumpet his achievements. It is quite refreshing in the modern game that we have players who can rely on their ability not only by promoting or projecting themselves.”

Where Ferguson and Carrick do have a difference of opinion is in the Scot’s repeated claims that the midfielder comes into his own in the second half of the season. Carrick has never understood that, but the United boss is convinced it is true.

“I know he disagrees but I always feel the second half of the season sees Michael at his best,” said Ferguson.

“He is doing that at the moment. His form for quite a while now has been absolutely superb. He and Scholesy are a good partnership.”

United could do with Carrick tomorrow because Ferguson is convinced if his side come through their next test unscathed, the pendulum will begin to swing their way. It is one of the reasons why Ferguson will be so delighted to have Wayne Rooney available after a throat infection.

Spurs go in to the match on the back of a 5-2 mauling at Arsenal which all but ended their hopes of winning a first title since 1961. The defeat also left them looking over their shoulders at Arsenal and Chelsea.

Spurs’ chances of bringing Champions League football will take a severe hit if they lose their upcoming games against United, Everton and Chelsea, but Redknapp is confident that will not be the case.

“The Arsenal match was a blip, a one-off. It’s done and dusted, history, and the players have all moved on,” Redknapp added.

“All the big teams have had bad days this year. We occasionally will have a day like that where everything went wrong and we have to put it right this week.”

Redknapp is adamant Gareth Bale does not dive and insists the only reason that his star winger goes to ground so much is because he is targeted by opposition players, who “kick him from pillar to post” every week.

Bale was criticised last weekend by a number of pundits for the incident which led to him winning Tottenham a penalty in their 5-2 defeat at Arsenal.

Bale has been cautioned for diving, or “simulation” as it is now known, before this season, but Redknapp insists the player is not a cheat.

“I don’t think he dives,” the Tottenham manager said.

“I haven’t spoken to him about it and there is no need to. He gets kicked form pillar to post most Saturdays.”

I think you will find there is an awful lot of players who have been booked for chopping him down with cynical challenges this year, rather than him going down under no challenge.”

The popular Tottenham boss, heavily tipped to take over as next England manager, turned 65 yesterday – an age which many associate with retirement. Redknapp has no plans to quit just yet, however. “I’m not retiring, no. Not yet, no,” he said.