English football’s best still a class act

THERE are times when it hardly seems worth bothering crossing the road to go to a football match in England.

Times when the game seems infested with violence and racism off the pitch and arrogant and pampered millionaires on it.

Times when the home of the sport appears to have sold its soul to antipodean television moguls who peddle puerile hype.

Or when the FA seems to be drowning in a financial morass of its own making and normally staid directors and chairmen seem to have taken leave of their senses.

At such times even a sport as utterly yawn-inducing as fishing can seem infinitely preferable.

But then comes along a match such as Arsenal versus Manchester United to remind us why an estimated 500 million worldwide yearn to watch the best of English football.

It wasn't the masterpiece heralded by the morning papers. In terms of technical excellence it wasn't fit to be mentioned in the same breath as the regal football performed by Real Madrid in the Champions League last week.

But seldom has a match proved more convincingly why the Premiership is the most exciting and intriguing league in the world.

A fluke goal, an 'offside' goal, a wonderful goal, a sending off, a simmering finale, 90 minutes packed with passion and interminable tension and a stamping, ranting touchline cameo from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger those were the ingredients for the most watchable of sporting soap operas.

And, amid the drama, two reasons why I believe Manchester United will be crowned next month as Premiership champions for the eighth time in a decade.

One is the increasing influence of captain Roy Keane. A month ago Keane, once indisputably the most inspiring midfielder, looked obsolete. He could barely run, his confidence was as suspect as his dodgy hips, his tackling virtually non-existent and his worth in United's side increasingly doubtful.

On Wednesday, however, with his last-gasp clearances and a glimpse of the return of his surging power he proved there is still vibrant life in English football's most irascible Irishman.

The second reason is the form of Ruud van Nistelrooy, even if choosing between the Dutchman and Thierry Henry as the Premiership's top striker is like trying to distinguish the merits of a Rolls Royce and a Bentley.

Both exude sheer quality and you would be happy for either to win the Player of the Year award for which they are vying neck-and-neck.

But there is a ruthlessness about Van Nistelrooy's goal-scoring this past month which has taken him on to an even higher plain.

He scores tap-ins, converts those ugly, six-yard-box scrambles as well as sumptuous solo efforts such as his opening goal against Arsenal 38 in all so far this season for club and country.

If there is one man in the Premiership on whom you can rely to score when the pressure is fraught and the need greatest then it is Van Nistelrooy. A team could have no better source of confidence.

Actually, there is a third reason Alex Ferguson. In a decade of largely unrivalled domination of domestic football Ferguson has rarely been as driven or appeared to be enjoying the contest more than these past few weeks.

On the score of mind games Ferguson remains the master and would relish the chance to see the Frenchman choke on his statement that they are the greatest team, and that they can go through the season unbeaten.

It could yet go either way, even if I do lean marginally to United.