Vieira Keane to be fit for showdown with Roy
Vieira has been rated a 50-50 chance for the title showdown after injuring both knees at Old Trafford in Arsenal's FA Cup semi-final victory against Sheffield United.
There is also a fitness doubt over Keane, but both managers know the importance of their captains being fit for what promises to be a titanic tussle at Highbury.
The United skipper's influence since returning from injury has increasingly been questioned, especially after his team's defeat to Real Madrid last week.
However, Vieira insisted: "I enjoy playing against Roy Keane. You always want to play against the best and he is one of the best midfield players.
"He has had some bad injuries and maybe it has taken time for him to come back to his best, but I still think he's one of the best midfielders out there. It will be an important battle but it will be important in every part of the pitch."
While Keane has led United by example, so Vieira has inspired his team as he has grown into the role following the retirement of Tony Adams.
He said: "I think that has made me improve and has made me feel more responsible on the pitch. It has even improved my disciplinary record!
"I think Tony did really well as captain. He was a great example for me. But there is no burden on my shoulders. I get great support from the other players."
He added: "We are getting to the period where it's really important to get everybody focused about the final sprint.
I try to talk to the players to make them understand that we need everyone to give 100% for the team.
"You can be really tired and not play like you did at the start of the season. We need something extra now to win these kind of games, but we have that something extra to do that."
His colleague Fredrik Ljungberg looks ready to embark on a scoring spree as he edges closer the form which steered Arsenal to last year's double. Ljungberg's winner in Arsenal's FA Cup semi-final victory against Sheffield United was only his fifth goal of the season.
Although Robert Pires has a chance of returning to action against United, Ljungberg could always switch flanks.
He said: "Normally when I score, the goals come on the trot. It's just great to be back and I feel that my form is coming back.
"After a long injury, it normally takes time to get going again, to make the same runs into the box and to get the timing right. Hopefully I'm there now and we can just keep on going."
Ljungberg insisted the title is still in Arsenal's hands, even though United have moved three points clear, albeit having played a game more following their 6-2 weekend win at Newcastle.
"We are just concentrating on Wednesday's game and if we can win that, then the rest of the season looks great," he added.
* Gordon Banks has hailed David Seaman's save against Sheffield United on Sunday, which put Arsenal into a third successive FA Cup final, and claimed it deserves to be rated alongside his own miracle stop against Pele 33 years ago.
Banks said: "It was an excellent save by David. Truly marvellous and one of the best I've seen.
"Every great save has its own context. They are all different in some way. But you would have to put this one by David in the same category as mine against Pele in 1970.
"Pele's header came from further away than Paul Peschisolido's one against David and the fact I stopped it was probably a lot down to instinct.
"But the great thing with David's save is that he had his weight all on the wrong foot. He had to shift all his weight onto the other foot first and then get right across his goal.
"Then he didn't just block the ball with his arm, he scooped it away which was crucial. Had he just blocked it, the ball could well have just dropped down for the Sheffield United player to knock in."
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