United a point from record title
Source: Agencies |
May 10, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MANCHESTER United has no doubt that winning the English Premier League is a case of 'when' rather than 'if' and will hope to wrap it up this weekend to boost its chances of adding a European Cup.
The value of being able to rest players was proven on Sunday when United's first-choice team, which did not play in midweek, exploded straight from kickoff against Chelsea to score in the first minute and threaten unrelentingly in a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.
Beating the champion, which would have gone top of the league on goal difference with a win, left United needing one point from its final two games to secure a record 19th league title.
Its first chance to complete the formalities comes on Saturday when it travels to Blackburn Rovers, who they already beat 7-1 this season, and once it is in the bag United could rest some legs before the Champions League final against Barcelona.
"We just need one point now and I think, knowing the players, they won't muck it up, they'll get their point - there's no doubt about that," manager Alex Ferguson, who is in touching distance of a 12th Premier League title, said.
"In the next few weeks we've got to be doing some work on Barcelona. But we've got to get a point at Blackburn (first)."
Ferguson had made nine changes for last Wednesday's Champions League semifinal second leg against Schalke 04 from the side that set up a comfortable lead in the first leg with an eye on the title-decider against Chelsea at Old Trafford.
The Scot used a total of 19 different starters in the two matches this week, drawing on nearly a quarter of a century of experience at the club to get full use out of his squad.
If United fails to lift the trophy at Ewood Park, it gets a second chance on May 22 against relegation-threatened Blackpool in front of a home crowd which was already celebrating on Sunday and has not witnessed defeat on that pitch all season.
That would leave it less than a week before the May 28 European showpiece at Wembley against Barcelona, which is similarly close to securing the Spanish league title.
While United savors the possibilities that lie ahead, one of the sweetest will be breaking the record of 18 titles it shares with bitter rival Liverpool.
When the Merseyside club won the most recent of its titles 21 years ago, few thought the record would be overtaken any time soon - especially not by a club who at that time had won the honor only seven times.
"Fifteen, 20 years ago, you'd never have thought it," midfielder Ryan Giggs, present in every single one of United's Premier League titles, said. "It's a great achievement by the club and by the manager to haul back our biggest rivals over the 70s, 80s and 90s. We're nearly there and if we do it, it will be special."
The value of being able to rest players was proven on Sunday when United's first-choice team, which did not play in midweek, exploded straight from kickoff against Chelsea to score in the first minute and threaten unrelentingly in a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.
Beating the champion, which would have gone top of the league on goal difference with a win, left United needing one point from its final two games to secure a record 19th league title.
Its first chance to complete the formalities comes on Saturday when it travels to Blackburn Rovers, who they already beat 7-1 this season, and once it is in the bag United could rest some legs before the Champions League final against Barcelona.
"We just need one point now and I think, knowing the players, they won't muck it up, they'll get their point - there's no doubt about that," manager Alex Ferguson, who is in touching distance of a 12th Premier League title, said.
"In the next few weeks we've got to be doing some work on Barcelona. But we've got to get a point at Blackburn (first)."
Ferguson had made nine changes for last Wednesday's Champions League semifinal second leg against Schalke 04 from the side that set up a comfortable lead in the first leg with an eye on the title-decider against Chelsea at Old Trafford.
The Scot used a total of 19 different starters in the two matches this week, drawing on nearly a quarter of a century of experience at the club to get full use out of his squad.
If United fails to lift the trophy at Ewood Park, it gets a second chance on May 22 against relegation-threatened Blackpool in front of a home crowd which was already celebrating on Sunday and has not witnessed defeat on that pitch all season.
That would leave it less than a week before the May 28 European showpiece at Wembley against Barcelona, which is similarly close to securing the Spanish league title.
While United savors the possibilities that lie ahead, one of the sweetest will be breaking the record of 18 titles it shares with bitter rival Liverpool.
When the Merseyside club won the most recent of its titles 21 years ago, few thought the record would be overtaken any time soon - especially not by a club who at that time had won the honor only seven times.
"Fifteen, 20 years ago, you'd never have thought it," midfielder Ryan Giggs, present in every single one of United's Premier League titles, said. "It's a great achievement by the club and by the manager to haul back our biggest rivals over the 70s, 80s and 90s. We're nearly there and if we do it, it will be special."
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