Sitting pretty top of the table on Christmas Day in the closest title race for years. Two points clear and with games in hand, Sir Alex Ferguson has been there, done that more times than he can remember so his thoughts on what may lie ahead in the second half of the season are well worth listening to. “Someone asked me are you surprised to be top of the league?” he explains “I’m only surprised that people are surprised! All the top teams are dropping points, they don’t recognise how tough the league is now. My aim is to be top of the league by January 4. If we’re still top then, we’ve done well” he said.
Manchester Evening News spoke to four Manchester United stalwarts who where prepared to predict how the rest of the season may develop and they all agree – the nineteenth Premier League title is United’s for the taking.
Andy Ritchie: 1977-80 “If United can keep their back five fit they’ve got a great chance of winning the title. They’re defending very well and Rio has been superb since he’s come back. Rooney needs to start scoring but keeping the back five fit is even more important. City will be there or there abouts but I don’t think they’re ready to break into the group of teams who will be challenging at the end of the season like Arsenal, Chelsea and United.” UNITED: Champions
Mickey Thomas: 1978-81 “City will buy again next month and I expect them to be up there at the end of the season. Anything other will be a massive disappointment. United are unbeaten in the league and I think they have enough in the locker to win the title. It will be a big ask for Wigan to stay up and they need to improve their home form. Bolton have a great chance of finishing in the top six if they can avoid injuries. UNITED: Premier and Champions League winners
Gary Pallister: 1989-98 “Manchester City have done well considering the off field problems with Carlos Tevez and other players not being happy. They will be up there but the title will be just beyond them.
United have shown great resilience this year and that is what’s carried them. Wayne Rooney is looking sharper and Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are playing well together. Roberto Martinez needs to get his Wigan players playing more consistently and showing more resilience if they are going to stay up. Owen Coyle is a contender for manager of the season. Bolton are one of four or five teams who could get into Europe. UNITED: Champions and could get to Champions League Final
Alex Stepney: 1966-78 “United have done well against the teams around them which they will need to continue. City have got the players but it’s moulding them into a team. They don’t have the experience of winning the title and they can’t lose any more home games. UNITED: No reason why they can’t win the Champions League. They will win the Premier League.
So what’s your prediction? Will title number 19 be clinched?
Yes of course we can win it, it would be throwing in the towel to think other wise.We havent hit top form apart from the Blackburn game, but have hung in there.Often on the ropes but never knocked out.
I agree totally with Andy Ritchie regards the importance of keeping the defence safe from injury and not rotating for the hell of it.We would have secured the 19th last season had it not been for the injuries and lack of seeing Rio and Nemanja at the centre of the defence on a regular basis, the Fulham away game as the prime example..Rafael is learning and improving each game and is making lesser mistakes and therefore will be a stalwart in the back four, as ever with the experienced Patrice.
I gotta ask Mickey Thomas can I have some of your Welsh positive drugs?!Champions league winners Eh?We will need more than a lot of positivity to win that tournament.He clearly does not watch La liga and Barcelona.I know they were held(2nd 11) on Tuesday against a poor parking the Bus Side at the Camp nou.Heavens they are awesome and very strong on all area’s of the side.
Gary Pallister is bang on the money, we might get to the Champions league final with good draws after the Olympique de Marseille game.
@ The skipper, you have a lot of meat references in that highly articulate post.Clearly you are in Mensa, should be in a loonie bin.
For your benifit as you like “Meat” My butcher said to me what would you like for Christmas, I pondered what do you have? I have Turkeys and a single Woodcock.
Naturally I replied, no I have had a Woodcock, but got some creme so its all cleared up now. “Just give me a Chicken”
mm i think you’ll find sam the baconface lapdog , gave you COBBLEPLODING PIGEONEATERS that game ,fearing the wrath of the bacon !!!! YNWA
Are you sober skipper? Bacon, lapdog, pigeon? It’s not Christmas yet so why are you already pissed? YNWA…You’ll Never Win Anything!
YEP ,ALL OFFAL,JUST LIKE THE THE SWAMP DWELLERS ! dont need to be pissed to see that the future is just that…… the future ! , can you please give me the winning lottery numbers oh mystic ( septic ) one as you seem to be some sort of seer, soothsayer , voodoo chile , tealeaf reader, etc etc ! NOBS,
YNWA , thats you’ll never walk alone, past present and future !! unlike the rent-a-hoodie mobsters of trafford !
My crystal ball is very, very clear skipper. Liverpool are heading for the lower divisions – YNWA (You’ll Never Wank Alone)
No doubt at all, we’ll win the EPL, 2 games behind and still top of the league, curently, am enjoying the words from the haters 😀
We can win the title but we have to stay focused and not make any silly mistakes in defence.I think our Rivals sort of know we havnt hit full throttle yet and are waitin for us to blast away,Fergie is a Master at this time of year and the players know what is expected of them, lets not get carried away and all that crap,theres a fair way to go,but Captain Ferguson is steering the good ship on a steady course,Happy Xmas Yaal!