MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson has urged his
Manchester United players to hold their nerve as the race for the
Premiership title hots up.
United face a tricky away game at Tottenham on Sunday by which time
their lead at the top of the table could be reduced to just three
points should second-placed Chelsea emerge triumphant from the
London derby with struggling Charlton on Saturday.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is confident his reigning champions
can overtake United in the closing weeks of the season and he has
pointed to the return of influential England defender John Terry
from injury this weekend as a key moment in the campaign.
Ferguson admits Chelsea still pose a big threat to his club winning
the title for the first time in four years, but the United manager
believes his players will cross the finishing line in pole position
three months from now.
"We should expect a hard game every match we play now," the United
boss said Friday at his weekly press briefing. "There´s no point
thinking you´re going to get any easy points because we won´t get
them. It´s as simple as that.
"We´ve got to be ready for the difficult tasks and the challenges.
That´s what winning the championship is all about.
"We´re not looking for favours off anyone and we´re not expecting
any easy games.
"The matter lies with us. The players are enjoying their football
and I´m enjoying watching them. I think they want to continue
playing that way. A challenge is a challenge and we´ve got to
accept challenges at this football club.
"But there´s a general enthusiasm about the place and a team spirit
which encourages me to think we can handle the situation."
Ferguson, who has reported no fresh injuries ahead of his side´s
trip to White Hart Lane, has seen his side slip up in their last
two away games in the Premiership. They lost at Arsenal after being
held to a draw at mid-table Newcastle.
But the Scot is confident there will not be too many more setbacks
as his players focus on the prize that is theirs for the
taking.
"I think we´ve had our blip," he added. "West Ham away was our blip
while losing at Arsenal after being 1-0 up with nine minutes to go
was a blip.
"But if we can keep the level of consistency that we have shown
then we have a good chance.
"It´s fair to say our away games are tough. We´ve probably got
harder away games than Chelsea.
"But analysing all the away games is pointless really. We know we
have a tough game on Sunday and if we get through that one then
it´s one out of the way.
"Games against Tottenham over the years have normally been
entertaining fixtures. There used to be some quite high scoring
games. But the last two or three seasons have not been that way -
they have been quite low-scoring."
Ferguson praised Michael Carrick´s contribution as the England
midfielder prepares to make his first return to Tottenham since
moving to Old Trafford in an 18-million-pound (35 million dollars)
deal last summer.
United fans have only just begun to be convinced that Carrick was
worth the money, but Ferguson has always offered the player strong
backing.
"He´s improving. He´s strong too. We have seen that physical
development in the lad. We´re seeing a player who is in his
mid-twenties and is showing good maturity," said Ferguson.
"He´s an absolutely sensational passer of the ball. You should pick
players for what they can do rather than what they can´t do. If
they can create goalscoring opportunities then that´s a plus point
for us and that´s why we bought him.
"He was absolutely brilliant against Arsenal - one of the best
midfield displays of the season."