Sir Alex Ferguson will demand that his players earn a
better record against fellow members of the top flight’s top four
this term, starting with Arsenal on Saturday.
United won the title last year specifically due to a
ruthless record of 70 points taken from a possible 72 against teams
in the bottom 12 positions of the league. Results against the top
eight were less flattering, and points dropped against teams inside
the so-called top four were much to Sir Alex’s chagrin.
The Reds lost twice to Liverpool, drew and lost with Arsenal, and
beat and drew with Chelsea en route to Barclays Premier League
success in 2008/09. With that in mind, Sir Alex is placing even
greater emphasis on victory over Arsenal this weekend.
“With 35 games left, you can’t say that this game will be
decisive,” he told reporters at his weekly press
conference. “But what means a lot to us is that
last season against the top teams we dropped six points to
Liverpool, five to Arsenal and two to Chelsea. We really need to
address that and do better in these games. One opportunity comes
along on Saturday and I hope we take it.”
These matches are perhaps no longer the fire and brimstone clashes
of old, with warriors like Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira captaining
their respective troops in battle. There is reason to suggest both
teams are more sophisticated, and there has certainly been a
thawing of relations between Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger.
Some have suggested that is because Arsenal have not realistically
challenged United for the title in recent years. But their early
season results suggest that could change this term. “Their start to
the season has been the highlight of the early games,” admits the
boss. “Beating Everton 6-1 was an amazing result. I can’t recall
anybody scoring six goals at Everton in my time here.
“It’s been a good start for them, and then they got four goals
against Portsmouth. I went to their game on Wednesday against
Celtic and I thought they were comfortable enough, although Celtic
made a fist of it.
“So we've got a tough game on our hands and we have to get our form
right. Consistency is important and we have already lost one game
and we can’t afford to lose another one this early on.”
With Arsenal at least showing the early murmurings of title
contention, Sir Alex expects there to be an added bit of bite to
these games, even though he says “the personalities of both teams
have changed”.
“Games against Arsenal are never easy, but they're always
interesting,” he says. “Over the years United-Arsenal matches have
been the feature of the Premier League. For a long time we were
both competing for the same no.1 spot. Some of the games were very
feisty, but I think the character and the personalities within the
teams have changed.
“We don’t have a Keane or a Vieira. There’s been a material change
in that sense. They were both volatile characters and dominant
figures in the team and the captains in the sides. That said, even
the last game of the season which finished 0-0 got a bit heated at
times. So it won’t be any less competitive but a different type of
game.”