SOCCER/ ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:ALEX FERGUSON has spoken of his belief that Arsenal, not Chelsea, might pose the greater challenge to Manchester United's aspirations of winning the "tightest title race ever" and being crowned champions for a record fourth successive time.
Two more goals from Wayne Rooney, taking his total for the season to 32, and a late Dimitar Berbatov header took United two points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win against Fulham and Ferguson has told his players they may need to win their final eight games.
“We are back in the lead, but Chelsea have a game in hand,” Ferguson said. “It’s also going to be a hard-fought tussle with Arsenal coming strongly now and I have a suspicion that they might yet mount the biggest challenge. To a certain extent, the title is in our hands because Chelsea have to come to Old Trafford and, naturally, that will be a massive match but, as I say, I am wary of Arsenal if they don’t suffer too many more injuries to key players.”
Rooney has now scored 24 times in his past 22 games and Ferguson believes the England striker has become the irresistible choice to be named footballer of the year.
“I think he’s a certainty,” the United manager said. “I think he has a great chance of winning both the players’ award and the football writers’ prize. He’s been absolutely brilliant and is developing his game all the time.”
Rooney, chasing Cristiano Ronaldo’s target of 42 goals last season, is now two ahead of his former team-mate at the corresponding stage two years ago, and it will be of no surprise to anyone at Old Trafford that the former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon spoke yesterday of there being an “obsession” at the Bernabeu to sign him.
Calderon believes his successor, Florentino Perez, wants to capitalise on the financial uncertainty at Old Trafford by persuading Rooney to follow Ronaldo to Spain “if it is possible to spend again another €100 million or €80 million”.
Berbatov described Rooney as “the best player in the world” after his two second-half goals and backed him to finish the season with more than 40 goals.
Guardian Service
