Manchester United boss Sir Alex
Ferguson insists English clubs have once again moved ahead of their
Spanish and Italian counterparts in Europe.With the Red Devils
among three English representatives in the last four of this
season's Champions League, many feel the domestic competition has
outstripped those of Spain and Italy, who have traditionally been
viewed as superior.
The enormous TV contract - both for the home market and overseas -
negotiated by Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore
suggests the appetite for English football remains high despite the
apparent predictability around the top end of the table.
And Ferguson believes England can now claim to be top of the
pile.
"The Premiership is the best league in the world," he said.
"These things go in cycles. English clubs dominated in the 1980s,
the Italians were fantastic in the 1990s and the Spanish in the
early 2000s. They had three teams in the semi-final one year, so
they were the best in Europe at that point.
"But, gradually, the English clubs have gone above that.
"The form of Barcelona and Real Madrid this season has not been up
to their usual standard anyway, and the English clubs have moved
ahead."
While some pundits continue to argue against the inequality of
Premiership life, it is an inescapable fact that last Saturday
United were beaten by a Portsmouth side who then went on to lose
against Watford on Easter Monday.
The form line may not be much for Hornets boss Adrian Boothroyd to
cling to ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final, but it is probably
a more positive focus for attention than United's seven-goal rout
of Roma on Tuesday.
Having emerged victorious from each of his seven semi-finals in the
competition to date, few expect Ferguson's perfect record to be
spoiled at Villa Park.
Yet the Scot, who could be forced to play Patrice Evra at
right-back if John O'Shea fails to recover from a calf problem, is
not taking anything for granted.
"We are well aware of what can happen in semi-finals," he
said.
"We respect the fact Watford have a good manager. They have an
honest bunch of players and they have bit of pace in their
team.
"They are not in the semi-final by accident.
"But I have never lost a semi-final and hopefully that statistic
still exists after the game."
Yupps the English teams are dominating at the moment.