Fired-up Ferguson gunning for Chelsea

ALEX FERGUSON is convinced victory over old rivals Arsenal can propel Manchester United towards the most unlikely Premiership title imaginable.

At the start of last month, United trailed Chelsea by 18 points. Now, the gap is down to seven as the Red Devils blazed to eight successive league wins.

While there are only six games remaining, Ferguson is getting the old familiar scent of blood in his nostrils.

And, if his side can come through arguably their toughest examination of the run-in at Old Trafford tomorrow, the Scot feels stuttering Chelsea can still be caught.

"This is a major opportunity for us," said Ferguson. "Chelsea have dropped points and when your form starts to go in April, it is not easy to get it back. It is not like turning the gas on and off.

"Chelsea are still in the driving seat but the situation is not quite so settled as it once seemed. If we can beat Arsenal, I think we will be difficult to live with."

Much is made of title triumphs in 1996 and 2003 when United hauled back the big leads of Newcastle and Arsenal respectively.

But Ferguson has not forgotten the trauma of 1992, when United held a two-point advantage over Leeds - with two games in hand and only six matches left - yet threw the advantage away, losing three games on the trot in the space of seven days.

"Our form just went," recalled Ferguson.

"That collapse was really hard to take and I felt very sore afterwards but these things do happen."

The added twist to the title saga is United's visit to Stamford Bridge on April 29. Ferguson is now confident enough to talk of it being a 'title-decider'.

And, because Chelsea's scheduled trip to Blackburn has been put back to May 2 due to their participation in the FA Cup semi-final, United know it would not take a totally unexpected sequence of results to send them to Stamford Bridge knowing victory would take them top.

First though, they must overcome Arsenal, who have endured similar criticism to United over the course of the season, only for Arsene Wenger, just like Ferguson, to have his faith in his young stars justified on their march to the Champions League semi-final.

"At Christmas it was difficult to know who was getting the most flak, Arsenal and Manchester United," observed Ferguson.

"I think it was worse for us because the media really go for us when they scent trouble.

"Both Arsene Wenger and myself are too experienced to let it get to us. He kept faith with his young players and now they are repaying that confidence.

"I would like to think we also kept our heads. We didn't succumb to the abuse. We didn't buckle and we came out of it.

"Once you have decided a player has the right qualities, you have to trust him and provide him with the time he needs to adjust to the top level."

Wes Brown is available after his recent absence with a groin injury but may have to be content with a place on the bench. Whether he will be joined among the substitutes by Louis Saha or Ruud van Nistelrooy is a more interesting debate.

"We know how to play against Arsenal," said the United boss.

"Our form against them in recent games has been good and we know we need to beat them on Sunday."