MANCHESTER UNITED, after their 4-0 demolition of Porto in the European Champions Cup on Wednesday, travel to face struggling Sunderland today with the intention of turning on the heat on the pretenders to their domestic crown.
A victory over Peter Reid's side would lift United seven points clear of the chasing pack if Arsenal fail to beat Nottingham Forest, and Alex Ferguson is in no mood to relax his grip on the top.
"We seem to realise at this time of the season that every game is a big game and come good," said Ferguson, whose men have picked up 31 points from a possible 33 during an 11-match run that included a 5-0 December drubbing of Sunderland.
"I don't know whether it is a physical strength or mental strength that we have, it's probably a bit of both. But we have that experience of coming through at this time of the year and it doesn't matter who we are facing, Porto or Sunderland, every game is important to us. We can't afford to slip up.
Sunderland face the champions just days after a 4-0 home hammering by Tottenham, their fourth defeat on the trot, and they have scored just once in seven matches to slip to fifth from bottom.
Arsenal have Ian Wright suspended along with Steve Bould and Ray Parlour for the visit of Forest. Remi Garde (groin) is also sidelined and Lee Dixon (ankle) is doubtful, but skipper Tony Adams and Paul Merson both return after injuries as Arsene Wenger's men look to leapfrog Liverpool and move into second place.
But it is the loss of Premiership top scorer Wright that will cheer Forest, who are hovering just one place and two points above third bottom Southampton having played a game more and had their survival chances hampered by a 3-0 midweek home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday.
They travel to Blackburn after facing Arsenal and then entertain Liverpool and newly-installed general manager Dave Bassett declared: "It is no good feeling sorry for ourselves. We've got a big week ahead. I'm not the type who is into people who are feeling sorry for themselves."
Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish yesterday tried to play down reports of a training ground bust-up with David Ginola. The unsettled French winger confronted Dalglish during training on Thursday at the club's training ground, according to a report in yesterday's Daily Star.
The report claimed that during a meeting when the players were sitting listening to Dalglish and his assistant Terry McDermott, Ginola stood up and started shouting at Dalglish and pointing his finger at him.
Yesterday Ginola joined his team-mates in training as if nothing had happened. Dalglish said: "The players sat on the grass and we had a meeting. He (Ginola) was one of the players that was spoken to but we're not going to disclose what's involved in discussions between myself and players.
"I've not argued with anyone publicly," insisted Dalglish. "It takes two people to have an argument." When asked if there would be any repercussions for Ginola Dalglish snapped: "Don't ask me to justify what's in the papers. I've told you what we want to say and that's the finish.
"At the end of the day we open facilities up here for people to come in and watch us train. Someone that's come in and watched has chosen to make a few quid out of something he thought was a story. If someone's stupid enough to pay him that's up to them."
It remains to be seen whether Dalglish will pick Ginola for Newcastle's crucial Premiership clash at Liverpool on Monday but the Newcastle boss is hopeful that Les Ferdinand, Peter Beardsley, Shaka Hislop and John Beresford may recover from injuries in time for the Anfield showdown.
Meanwhile in the FA Cup, Jim Smith wants revenge for Derby's midweek 6-1 mauling at Middlesbrough when the sides meet again in today's quarter-final at the Baseball Ground.
"If there is any character in our team - and they have shown over the last two seasons that there is - they could not wish for a better opportunity. They're facing players who embarrassed them three days earlier and this time on their own ground.
