Wenger warns of Blue rule
Arsenal face Manchester United as the two recent heavyweights of the game battle to ensure they do not finish the season empty-handed as a fading force.
Both clubs would surely swap positions with Chelsea, who have already clinched the title and the Carling Cup; as well as Liverpool, who contest next Wednesday’s Champions League final.
Indeed, while an FA Cup win would still ensure a measure of success, Wenger admitted the entire outlook of English football had now changed following Abramovich’s takeover.
Asked if Chelsea could dominate this decade, as Liverpool did in the 1970s and United did in the 1990s, he conceded: “I feel yes, because they are a financially doped club.
“They have enhancement of performances through financial resources which are unlimited. For me, it’s a kind of doping because it’s not in any way linked to their resources. It puts pressure on the market that is not very healthy. They can go to Steven Gerrard or Rio Ferdinand and ‘say how much do you earn, we’ll give you twice as much’.
“Chelsea now look to be the third force, if not the first one at the moment, and that will make it more interesting.
“For a time, I had expected that to be Liverpool because when you look at English history, they have won 18 titles and cannot stay forever behind. They will also certainly come back some day.”
Chelsea simply do not have to play by the same budgetary rules and that is what gives them the edge, quite apart from finishing 12 points ahead of Arsenal and a further six ahead of United.
Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand has warned Arsenal that Manchester United will not take a backward step.
“Our games against Arsenal are getting built up more and more. But I think the edge adds to the game. It gets everyone up and I am sure tomorrow will be the same,” he said.
Much of the on-pitch rancour tends to surround what Arsenal perceive as United’s over-physical approach.
Jens Lehmann claimed the Red Devils just set out to kick his team-mates and Arsene Wenger has previously complained about Alex Ferguson’s intimidatory tactics. Ferguson has responded by pointing out Arsenal “are not lily-white themselves”.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of that argument, four successive United wins in fixtures between the two teams suggest Ferguson’s tactics are spot-on and judging by Ferdinand’s observations, nothing much is about to change.
“You have to put the effort in,” he said.
“If that means tackling someone very hard to win the ball off them, that is what you do.”
Ferguson had some mixed news on the fitness front, with Gary Neville coming through training and looking increasingly likely to play in his fifth final despite struggling with a groin injury. However, Gabriel Heinze is facing disappointment after gingerly coming through a light training session yesterday morning which leaves Ferguson with little option but to omit the Argentine defender from his squad.
Mikael Silvestre could fill the vacant left back berth if Ferguson sticks with Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown in central defence although Phil Neville, Quinton Fortune and John O’Shea are capable of doing the job as well.
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