Viera: United deserved the title

Patrick Vieira admitted Manchester United were the best team in the Barclaycard Premiership this season as he looked to set the record straight with Arsenal next season.

Arsene Wenger had claimed the Gunners were the best team overall in English football, taking the FA Cup into account as well.

However, Vieira conceded ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup final against Southampton: “We lost key games, that’s why we didn’t win the league.

“It’s not true that I think Manchester United played rubbish. When you play such a difficult league for 38 games, I think the best team will win it in the end.

“The difference between us and them is that they won some games without performing really well.”

Vieira admits it will be hard for him to bear the frustration of missing out on the FA Cup final due to his knee injury, but accepts he is still only “40% fit”.

After the final, Vieira will prepare to start talks with the club over his future and, while he is keen to stay at Highbury, he accepts a final decision must be made by the start of next season.

After all, the Frenchman has just 12 months left on his existing deal and Arsenal cannot afford to run the risk of losing him on a free transfer.

“My contract will be finished in 2004 and I want to stay and the club want me to stay, so that’s a good start. If after the cup final, we talk and find a solution, I will be here,” he confirmed.

“Something will have to be done before the start of the season, of course.”

Vieira believes completion of Arsenal’s proposed new stadium, which has already been put back by a year amid growing debts, is vital to the club’s long-term success.

He will, therefore, need to be reassured during his talks with vice-chairman David Dein and Wenger that the stadium will go ahead and the club will be able to afford lucrative contracts and new signings in the meantime.

Vieira declared: “It really matters to me that the club want to be at the top and want to fight against the best, and I want to be part of it.

“I really believe that if you want to compete with the best, you need to have a bigger stadium. But I don’t know if Arsenal are ready for it as I don’t know what is going on at the top.

“I’m getting old! I will be 31 in four years’ time when the new stadium is finished and the period that I can really play at the top level is not that long.

“I am quite happy here though and I believe that I will be here next season.”