Manchester Utd v Arsenal:ALEX FERGUSON has questioned the legitimacy of Arsenal's "lilywhite" image ahead of their game at Manchester United tonight, citing their disciplinary record as evidence that Arsene Wenger has nurtured his most competitive side "since the days of Martin Keown".

Ferguson expects a match of the “usual feisty nature” when the two old adversaries meet at Old Trafford and, writing in his programme notes, he questioned whether Wenger had deliberately perpetuated the sense that Arsenal were football purists.

“Our matches with Arsenal have always been competitive and don’t be deceived by the popular view that the Gunners play pretty football but can be kicked out of games,” Ferguson writes.

“Arsene has possibly encouraged this because earlier in the season he was berating two or three teams for being overly physical in their games against his side. I’m sure he saw it that way, but other managers and coaches tell me the present Arsenal side are one of the toughest in the Premier League, and the most physical since the days of Martin Keown.

“They play nice football and weave some intricate patterns but there is an edge through their team that also accounts for their presence as title challengers this season. His boys are not the lilywhites portrayed by their admirers. How many players have they had sent off this season? Three: Laurent Koscielny (twice), Jack Wilshere and Alex Song.”

Ferguson’s comments are about as provocative as it gets these days between himself and Wenger now that the two men, once sworn enemies, have called a truce to their feud. United’s manager used to complain that Wenger would never have a drink with him after matches, but that has changed over the past couple of seasons.

“When he first came to England, Arsene didn’t totally embrace the tradition but I am happy to say he regularly comes into my office for a glass of wine after a match and, of course, he entertains at the Emirates.”

Ferguson also keeps to his promise to ask United’s supporters to refrain from targeting Wenger with the offensive songs that have led to complaints over recent years.

“Before we get under way could I make a special appeal to that small section of our fans who seem to get perverse pleasure from taunting Arsene Wenger with crude chants? He deserves better, much better.”

Wenger, meanwhile, believes victory at Old Trafford tonight will give his Arsenal team a “massive” opportunity to win the title for the first time since 2004.

Arsenal lost home and away to United last season, as they also did to eventual champions, Chelsea, and with his side yet to face both at the Emirates Wenger said: “It will be an advantage to play all the big teams at home. So we know that, away from home we need to have one or two positive results against the big teams and then, if we manage to beat them at home, we have a massive advantage.”

Wenger believes that Arsenal’s victories in recent key games while performing below par demonstrate his players are now a maturing unit.

“Against Partizan we were not at our best, but we still managed to win the game (3-1 last Wednesday in the Champions League). That is a sign of maturing as a team. It’s a big game for us (against United) because we know that we have to convince people that we can do well in the big games.

“But on the other hand because people are sceptical about our results we can go there and play free as well and that’s what I want my team to do – go and play knowing it will have an influence on the Premiership but it’s not a decider.”

“This can be the turning point. We left Chelsea this season with a lot of frustration thinking they hadn’t had many chances and we lost the game (2-0). But we came out with many results ever since and we have built up a good away record so we go there not under any special pressure,” he said.

“We are top of the table at the moment, and at the start of the season if you had said we would lose four of our first 16 games, I would not have thought we would be top . . . It means the other teams have lost games as well, apart from Manchester United, but they have had many draws. The positive thing is that if we manage to add home consistency to our away form, we will be very dangerous.”

Wenger said a mental edge is the prize at stake tonight.

“It’s more psychological for the rest of the season than a decider . . . last year it was very close (2-1) and I think we are in a strong position. We are questioned defensively so we can show there that defensively we have the answer.

Guardian Service