FA Premiership: Alex Ferguson hopes Manchester United's exit from the Champions League will provide an unlikely help to their Premiership campaign. For the first time in a decade Europe will be a United-free zone in the New Year.
Ferguson is convinced the hangover from the dreadful night in Lisbon 10 days ago which signalled their departure from Europe's number one competition was blown away by the midweek 4-0 win over Wigan. And, although there is no doubt the Scot would prefer to still be in the Champions League, later in the season the enforced rest periods brought on by United's elimination may prove very useful.
"It may help us," he said. "But the only way we will find out is if the English teams stay in. Sometimes, playing lots of games in different competitions can help, as it did for us in 1999. But extra games in March and April can be exhausting too. Most of us accept the Premier League is exhausting anyway, so it would be interesting to see how the others handle it."
From a position of virtually no hope at the start of the week, United could finish this one looming large in Chelsea's sights if results go their way. Victory at Aston Villa today would cut the Londoners' lead to just six points, with Jose Mourinho's side due at Highbury 24 hours later for their crunch encounter with Arsenal.
A Gunners triumph would certainly instil some sense of a race into what has largely been a procession so far this season.
Ferguson continued: "Six points is achievable, without question. I don't think it would start playing on Chelsea's minds but they do have a big game on Sunday, although we have to do our own job first."
Ferguson rejected suggestions the four-goal hammering of Wigan was United's best performance of the season. Undeniably, it was their biggest home league win in two seasons and came in a manner which suggests the old swagger might be returning. In such circumstances, it is hardly a coincidence Paul Scholes is now getting back to his best.
The former England international has responded to being dropped back into central midfield on a permanent basis with a string of exceptional performances which have also brought him his first goals of the campaign.
And, while Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard may be now hailed as the finest midfielders in the Premiership, Ferguson feels the pair have some way to go before they can be spoken about in the same breath as Scholes.
With Mikael Silvestre struggling to overcome a groin injury, Ferguson is set to stick with the side which started against Wigan as United look to record an eighth win in nine visits to Villa Park.
For all the doom and gloom which descended on Old Trafford in the wake of United's European demise, Ferguson's side have picked up 16 points from their last six games, a run only Liverpool can better.
And, with four league games sandwiched between League and FA Cup ties over the next three weeks, United know it is imperative to maintain the momentum.
