Double dream still alive: Giggs

Manchester United’s treble dream is over. Now Ryan Giggs is targeting double glory for the Red Devils.

United have been given little time to dwell on their dismal Champions League exit in Milan by the Premier League, who rejected a request to put the Manchester derby back by 24 hours.

Instead, much to Alex Ferguson’s disgust, they have forced them to face Manchester City at Eastlands tomorrow lunchtime.

Ferguson knows he must rouse his team for what could turn out to be a pivotal weekend.

After extending their lead over Chelsea at the Premiership summit to five points, United know a win over their neighbours will leave Jose Mourinho’s men requiring a victory at Arsenal 24 hours later just to keep the championship race alive.

And Giggs does not believe his team-mates will have any problem lifting their spirits given the stakes are so high.

“There is still so much to play for,” said the Wales captain. “The character of the team is being tested but we have shown all season we can bounce back from situations like these.

“We are greedy. We wanted to win everything this season. We are out of the Champions League now, so we have to try and win the double.

“The City game was always going to be a big one, no matter what the result was against Milan. But obviously, there is more emphasis on it now because we have to go there and try to get a positive result to put pressure on Chelsea for Sunday.

“If we can do that, we will be a lot closer to winning the league. We still have the FA Cup to come as well, so there is an awful lot still to play for.”

Having lost on three of their last four visits to City, United will be taking nothing for granted.

However, with their opponents still reeling from Joey Barton’s training ground attack on Ousmane Dabo which has seen the England international suspended and knowing City have failed to score a league goal on home soil since New Year’s Day, it would be a major surprise if United were to slip up now.

Alan Smith is expected to earn a recall, as is Rio Ferdinand, who remained on the bench throughout Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat at the San Siro as Ferguson took a calculated risk on the fitness of Nemanja Vidic.

Former United boss Tommy Docherty branded Ferguson’s decision to hand Vidic a starting spot ’a disaster’.

Yet Ferguson is adamant placing his trust in the Serbian, who broke a collarbone against Blackburn on March 31, was the right move.

“There was an element of risk but I could not play both Nemanja and Rio and the lesser risk, without question, was Vidic,” said Ferguson.

“I have to take the long view and hopefully, we now have Rio available until the end of the season.”