United won’t be the ones to lose the plot, insists Fergie
United head to Highbury tonight for the first time since the infamous tunnel bust-up between Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane in the corresponding fixture last term.
Ferguson has been criticised in the past for the physical tactics his side have used to unsettle Arsenal, particularly in the game last October when the Londoners’ record 49-match unbeaten run came to an end.
But the Scot, who was allegedly pelted with pizza and soup after that stormy encounter, feels the Red Devils are entitled to claim the moral high ground. And he is adamant if either set of players do lose their cool in the Highbury cauldron, it will not be his.
“There is a spark between the two clubs which has been lit a lot of times,” Ferguson said.
“But in the main our behaviour in these games has been perfect.
“In matches such as these you need discipline. I don’t really care about how Arsenal view their own behaviour - everyone has their own opinion about that.
“I just concern myself with my own club. We have done really well, our discipline has been good and that is enough for me.”
If Ferguson’s assertion of his side’s squeaky clean attitude is open to considerable debate, there is no doubting United have had the better of recent league meetings with Arsenal.
Not since May 2002 have Arsenal beaten United in the Premiership, and Ferguson’s side had the considerable pleasure of recording a double over the North London giants last season.
Ultimately, the results did not matter to either side, such was the margin of Chelsea’s eventual title triumph. It is likely to be the same again this term as English football waits in vain for Jose Mourinho to suffer his first significant setback since arriving in London.
Following successive third-place finishes, Ferguson is determined United will push Chelsea as hard as possible over the remaining half of the campaign.
After racking up eight wins and a couple of draws from their last 10 Premiership outings, he could plausibly argue his side are at least in championship-winning form.
They are emerging from the ‘transition phase’ which brought Ferguson so much criticism, yet, the manager notes, Wenger has been subject to barely any flak even though Arsenal are 11 points adrift of United - let alone Chelsea.
“Everyone keeps saying Arsenal are in transition,” observed Ferguson.
“I keep saying the same thing but it doesn’t get the same attention.
“They have had their rocky periods in the season but outside Chelsea everyone can say that. No-one has had a run like Chelsea. They have been so consistent and you have to give them credit for that.”
Ferguson has promised changes from the side which sauntered past Bolton on New Year’s Eve, although possibly not as many as he envisaged when he named his side to face the Trotters.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is a certainty to return, as is Paul Scholes providing the former England man recovers from an acute migraine.
A more interesting dilemma is at left-back where Kieran Richardson will be hopeful of keeping his place even though John O’Shea, the man most likely to lose his spot if Scholes returns, performed well in midfield against Bolton and scored the memorable goal which sealed United’s success at Highbury last season.
Ferguson is also backing £7million Serbo-Montenegrin Nemanja Vidic to stiffen Manchester United’s defence.
The United boss is hopeful of tying up the 24-year-old international at some stage this week with only a work permit required to complete his move from Spartak Moscow.
“As I keep pointing out, good defenders win you things,” the Old Trafford boss said.
“In my time we have had people like Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Paul Parker, Denis Irwin, Ronnie Johnson and Jaap Stam.
“This lad is really natural and athletic. I know you need good defenders and that is exactly what this lad is.”
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