Wounded Arsenal can bite back

EVEN allowing for the psychological cut-and- thrust which inevitably accompanies encounters between Manchester United and Arsenal, Alex Ferguson goes into tomorrow’s match with a sharper than average edge.

United are riding on the momentum provided by that midweek destruction of Panathinaikos in the Champions League, even if their 5-0 victory was assisted by the sort of wretched Greek side which would have struggled in the Nationwide League.

Arsenal are running on empty in terms of confidence after seeing their defence dismantled clinically at Highbury by the superior steel and imagination of Inter Milan.