Vieira lets his football do the talking

ARSENAL captain Patrick Vieira is steering clear of any war of words over which is the best team in the Barclaycard Premiership as he insists only trophies will count at the end of the season.

Even though Arsenal hold a nine-point lead at the top of the table, with United a further three points behind second-placed Chelsea, Vieira is refusing to take anything for granted just yet.

The Gunners' advantage seems to make a mockery of Ryan Giggs' claim that "we still have the best players in the country at United and, if we play to our best, then I believe we're the top team."

After all, if Arsenal avoid defeat at home to Bolton this weekend, they would equal the all-time record held by Leeds and Liverpool of going 29 top-flight games unbeaten since the start of the season.

But while United have only the FA Cup to play for this season, with Arsenal to overcome in the semi-finals, Vieira can afford to play it cool.

"We will wait before saying 'we are the best squad' or anything like that. Football is about winning trophies and at the moment we have not won anything. We are in the semi-final of the FA Cup, top of the Premier League and we are on course in the Champions League.

"We have been playing together for five or six years and we just want to play well on the pitch. As a player, you dream to play in these sorts of important games."

United still have to face Arsenal in the Premiership as well as the FA Cup semi-finals, but their only hope is that the Gunners suffer an end-of-season collapse. Vieira nevertheless maintains his team have learned from the way in which they allowed a five-point lead to slip away a year ago.

"As a team, when you were in a position where we were last season, you learn a lot from it," he said

"It is important to have everyone fit because, from now on, it will be the final sprint until the end. We need the whole squad if we want to win trophies."

Arsenal could even have the chance to match themselves against an all-star England XI at the end of the domestic season in Martin Keown's testimonial game.

The 37-year-old defender is still hoping to earn a new one-year contract and said: "I don't want to give up yet so I'm looking to carry on for as long as I possibly can."

He has earned a testimonial due to his many years of loyal service at Highbury and is organising a celebrity game on May 17, with a "large proportion" of proceeds going to the Childline and Moneypot charities.