Fergie banks on United spirit

Alex Ferguson has vowed that Manchester United’s collective spirit will get them through one of the toughest runs of fixtures he can ever remember.

After a two-week international break, the Old Trafford outfit are back together again and fully focused on the three-week programme which will probably determine whether they will have to open the trophy cabinet again this summer.

Tomorrow’s encounter with fierce north-west rivals Liverpool, is followed immediately by a trip to Champions League holders Real Madrid and, on United’s return from Spain, visits to fellow title chasers Newcastle and Arsenal before another meeting with Real to decide who advances into the last four of Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

Even for a side used to operating at the highest levels of the game, winning that lot is a tough ask. However, with their hopes of glory at home and abroad resting on the outcome, it’s a challenge which has to be met.

“Looking back, I can’t remember having to play five important games like these in such a short spell,” admitted Ferguson.

“It really is a great time because these are the games you want to enjoy.

“We are back together again now and the important thing is to remain strong and approach the games as a collective unit.

“I am sure the matches will be hard but the opposition will find them hard as well and our squad has the ability, character and experience to handle it.”

United are bolstered by the return of skipper Roy Keane, who has missed the last five games with a hamstring problem.

However, Juan Sebastian Veron has still not recovered from the knee injury he picked up against Leeds at the beginning of last month and Ferguson admitted the £28.1m (€41m) Argentine has only a ‘slight chance’ of playing in the Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the man most likely to make way for Keane’s return, with Mikael Silvestre set to be recalled in preference to John O’Shea as the Red Devils chief makes a couple of changes to the side which briefly went top with a win over Fulham a fortnight ago.

A place at the Premiership summit is also the prize on offer tomorrow, even if Arsenal will recapture the position they currently occupy with a victory at Aston Villa in a match which will start less than an hour after United have finished.

Not that the home side can approach the game in particularly confident mood given their recent record against a Liverpool side, whose need for points is just as acute given their desire for a Champions League spot next season.

United have won just once in the last eight meetings between the teams, with Gerard Houllier’s side gaining instant revenge for their opponents’ Diego Forlan-inspired Premiership triumph at Anfield in December by capturing the Worthington Cup at their expense in Cardiff last month.

Not for the first time, Ferguson’s team were unable to break the shackles of Liverpool’s blanket defence and were picked off on the counter-attack by a team prepared to spurn a desire to play an open game in a successful attempt to frustrate their opponents.

“They set their stall out against us very well in the Worthington final and since them they have gone on a decent run,” admitted Ferguson.

“We are aware of their tactics and we will have to do something about them if we are going to win the game.

“They are chasing a Champions League place, so it’s in their interests to win the game, so maybe it will be an open contest, although I have my doubts.”

One thing the encounter certainly won’t be lacking is passion.

In the week when the England coach and his players have been criticised for spurning the traditional ‘up and at ’em’ virtues of their predecessors, a significant number will square up tomorrow in the game Ferguson ranks above all others in terms of intensity.

“I have always said that Manchester United against Liverpool is the biggest game for both clubs,” he said.

“When I first came down here, Liverpool were the benchmark we had to measure ourselves against.

“There has never been a match between the sides which has lacked passion and I am not expecting that to change.”