Two-horse title race, says Fergie
United are one point clear of Arsenal at the top of the table with a game in hand, which they will use up when they visit Wigan Athletic today.
With the leading teams having 11 or 12 matches to play, United are eight points clear of third-placed Manchester City, 10 ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and 12 clear of Chelsea.
If United beat Wigan for the 12th successive league match they would be 15 points ahead of Chelsea by the time the sides meet.
Ferguson, who has led his side to 11 league titles, virtually dismissed Chelsea’s chances of retaining the championship.
“Normally two teams break away when you come to the end of the season, it’s always two teams – that’s the way it’s looking at the moment,” he said.
“I think it’s either Arsenal or ourselves, either one of us will win it.”
Ferguson also dismissed remarks made by Chelsea captain John Terry, who said United might buckle under the pressure of challenging for the title, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
“You try things. We all try things,” he said. “But it won’t be easy to come back from that kind of points deficit.
“I said some time ago, the team that is most consistent would win the league. That is why I stress that we have to keep our momentum going and get that consistency.”
In truth, if there is one side unlikely to be affected by nerves at this stage of the season, it is United. With those Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns the most notable achievements of Ferguson’s stellar reign, the ground over the run-in has been covered countless times.
And, rather than shy away from the blockbuster games, such as Chelsea, or Liverpool, where United visit next weekend, and Arsenal, their likely FA Cup sixth round opponents on March 12, Ferguson knows his players will be clamouring to be involved.
“My experience is that players want to play in all the games now,” he said. “That is the problem.
“It is a nightmare picking teams at this stage of the season.
“This season I am helped a little bit because I have two or three injuries at the moment, so my options are condensed.
“All the players who are going to be playing all the time are delighted at that.”
Of the seven senior players who missed Wednesday’s drab draw in Marseille, only two, Michael Owen and Ryan Giggs, are in contention to return at Wigan, who have lost each time they have faced Ferguson’s side.For Owen the news is particularly bright given the early feeling on a groin injury that forced him out of training a fortnight ago was that it could wreck his season and, effectively, his United career.
“Michael is back training and could be available (today),” he said.
Of the rest, central defensive duo Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans are pencilled in to return at Anfield, meaning in-form Chris Smalling will keep his place today and at Stamford Bridge after another outstanding display in Marseille. Whoever starts for United, Wigan boss Roberto Martinez admits his team have a mental block when it comes to playing them.
“We are not just facing the league leaders, which is a fantastic challenge, but through our history we have never taken one point from Manchester United. It is a mental block,” he said.
“But last year was the first time we beat any of the ‘top four’ teams, and we beat three of them.
“United are the only ones we have never taken anything from in the last six years. It makes it an important challenge.”
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