Same again and we'll go through, says Wes

Wes Brown believes a repeat show of defiance from Manchester United at Villa Park next weekend will be enough to earn them an FA Cup final berth.

The rapidly-improving Red Devils centre-half was part of a Red Devils side that doggedly ground out a 1-1 draw against champions-elect Arsenal at Highbury yesterday.

Despite appearing to be on the verge of collapse at regular intervals, United clung gamely onto the Gunners and Louis Saha’s late goal – his fifth since joining the Old Trafford club from Fulham in January – ensured they headed back north with a point.

Even Alex Ferguson conceded it was not a result that will prevent Arsenal from wresting the championship crown from United’s grasp in May – but it did send a surge of self-confidence through a side that has mustered just one win from their previous six league games.

Rather than have to rally his troops for their FA Cup collision with Arsene Wenger’s Treble-chasers on Saturday, Ferguson will have to make only minor alterations.

For, as Brown acknowledges, the belief that victory can be achieved has now been injected into the United camp.

“If we do the same things on Saturday that we did yesterday, we have a very good chance of winning,” said the England international.

“It is going to be another special game but we have gone to Highbury and shown everybody what we can do.

“Now we have to maintain that form and try to go one better and get the win.”

Thierry Henry’s wondrous 50th-minute effort ensured United were not able to celebrate back-to-back clean sheets for the first time since October but the visitors still had reason to be pleased with their defence efforts.

Brown had a plausible claim for a man of the match award after producing his best performance of another injury-hit campaign and the 24-year-old is now proving why Ferguson was so reluctant to bring in a new defender to cover for Rio Ferdinand’s lengthy suspension.

The six-week gap between Ferdinand starting his eight-month ban and Brown hitting top form following a second cruciate ligament operation has ultimately proved extremely costly to United’s season.

But at least Ferguson’s men can approach Saturday’s game knowing Henry can be shackled to some extent should Wenger step back from his post-match revelation that his brilliant French striker will be rested for the cup tie.

“I thought we defended really well,” observed Brown.

“We competed with them in all areas and in the end came away with a good result.”

One frustration for Ferguson is the loss of Saha, who is ineligible for the FA Cup having played for Fulham earlier in the competition.

When fully fit, the former Metz striker is likely to prove the most astute of Ferguson’s most recent purchases, although at the moment he is having to be nursed through an Achilles injury the Red Devils camp hope will not eventually require surgery.

Even though he was limited to just half an hour yesterday, Saha still reported extreme soreness after the game and Ferguson has admitted deciding the precise course of action is something of a dilemma.

“We don’t feel he can start games just now and it’s probably going to be that way for a while,” he said.

“It’s a difficult one because we don’t really know whether to caress him or play him and see what happens.”

For the second week in succession, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer set up a goal from the right-sided midfield berth he was supposed to occupy this season following David Beckham’s departure.

A knee operation scuppered that intention but the Norwegian is likely to replace Darren Fletcher in that role on Saturday, while Eric Djemba-Djemba will be lucky to keep his place if Cristiano Ronaldo’s return triggers a midfield reshuffle.

“It’s a vital game and I am disappointed to miss it,” said Saha.

“But what happened yesterday will have helped lift the confidence and now all the players know what they have to do.”