Patrick Vieira has warned Manchester City to expect a United
backlash at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The clubs go head-to-head this weekend, seven days after Sir
Alex Ferguson's men lost their unbeaten league record at
Wolves.
It was a result that allowed Vieira's old club Arsenal to trim
United's lead at the top of the Premier League to four points,
while City closed to within five, but if the Blues feel their
neighbours will be easier to overcome on Saturday lunchtime now
they have tasted defeat in the league, Vieira has warned them to
think again
"We must expect a backlash and a battle," Vieira told Abu
Dhabi-based paper The National. "Big clubs like United
always talk about the importance of never losing two times in a
row. They will want to bounce back to winning ways
immediately."
For Vieira, any meeting with the Red Devils inevitably brings
back memories of his personal feud with Roy Keane, which memorably
reached its nadir in the Highbury tunnel in 2005 as the teams were
waiting to come out onto the pitch before kick-off.
The sight of the two warriors finger-jabbing told its own story
of their commitment to the cause and, though Gary Neville's loose
tongue was said to have started it, Vieira still admires the
newly-retired full-back.
"He had a fantastic career," Vieira said. "I respect him because
he had been at United his whole career and he won trophies and was
a permanent fixture in the starting XI.
"Yes, I had a problem with him, but I had a problem with a lot
of players."
How many more of these matches Vieira will be involved in
remains to be seen.
"I have six months left and am enjoying my football, but I have
to be realistic," he said. "I'll be 35 next season and I know it
will hard to play every game. I have to see if I am willing to
accept playing only one or two games every three or four
months."
