Edgy Days For Fergie
Sir Alex Ferguson: Pensive
Final day twists in the race for the Premier League title are extremely rare but Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson knows from his experience that strange things can sometimes happen under pressure.
His side must beat Stoke City at home on Sunday and hope that Wigan Athletic, among the worst travellers in the top flight, can prevent Chelsea from winning at Stamford Bridge.
If not, blue ribbons will replace red on the trophy and leave United with just a League Cup success and a starring role in the most absorbing title race for many years as scant consolation for a long, hard season.
Chelsea are favourites to prevent United winning a record 19th English title on Sunday but their manager Carlo Ancelotti, like Ferguson, has been around the game long enough not to be counting his chickens just yet.
Ferguson, always keen to play a few mind games, said United are now clutching at straws, after a 1-0 win at Sunderland last week extended the battle to Sunday’s finale.
One thing is guaranteed, however, and that is that his side will finish with all guns blazing against Stoke.
“We have a chance to win the league and we will fight until the end,” United’s Nani said this week. “You never know what’s going to happen in football. We just have to wait and see and win our game against Stoke at Old Trafford.”
Ancelotti, whose side lead the table by a point, will be well aware that only a win against Wigan is likely to be enough, but keeper Petr Cech said that scenario will do nicely.
“If at the beginning of the season someone had said we were going to play the last game at home and a win would win the league, I think everybody would have signed for it,” he said.
“So we know what we have to do. We play at home and it is always good if you can win a title at home.”
LAST DAY
Things are not always as straightforward as they seem though. United have been involved in four last-day deciders, the first of which, in 1995, left a bitter taste for the Reds but could now offer some encouragement.
Blackburn Rovers went into their final fixture at Liverpool two points above United that year and needing a win to make certain of the title but were beaten 2-1 at Anfield.
United were left kicking themselves, however, as they could only draw 1-1 away at West Ham United, who defended as though their lives depended on it.
“Yes, we’ve had a few of these last day encounters over the years and we’ve been fortunate to win three of them. We did lose one at West Ham,” Ferguson said on United’s website.
“It’s important to understand we have the experience of these things, winning and losing. So we’ve got to handle ourselves in the right way.”
All eyes will be on Wigan’s performance. Roberto Martinez’s side beat Chelsea at home this season, Ancelotti’s first taste of defeat in the Premier League, and they have proved themselves capable of worrying the top sides, most recently Arsenal, who they beat 3-2 after trailing 2-0, with 10 minutes remaining.
Away from home they have struggled though and have conceded 47 goals, nine of them coming in a thrashing at Tottenham Hotspur before Christmas.
Ferguson was quick to talk up Wigan immediately after beating Sunderland and he will take encouragement from Martinez’s rallying call to his players.
“It is not that Wigan Athletic is going to play for Manchester United. We will play for the good of football and for ourselves,” Spaniard Martinez said.
“It is a unique experience to go to Stamford Bridge having the world of football watching. We have got nothing to lose, but I can guarantee you that there is a belief in the squad that on the day we can compete with anyone. We are going to go to Stamford Bridge to try to win the game.”
The only other remaining issue to be decided on Sunday is who will finish third and avoid a Champions League qualifying tie.
Arsenal will achieve that with a point at home to Fulham, although defeat could let in Tottenham Hotspur, who will travel to relegated Burnley with a top-four finish guaranteed.
REUTERS
Terry Involved In Car Accident
John Terry was questioned by police and breathalysed after an ‘unfortunate’ car accident following Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League defeat to Inter Milan.
The Chelsea captain’s vehicle was surrounded by photographers as he left the stadium on Tuesday night and he was not aware that he had knocked down a member of the club’s security staff and injured his leg whilst driving very slowly.
Terry was later contacted by police and apologised to the staff member for what happened.
A club spokesman said: “We can confirm there was an unfortunate accident as John Terry left Stamford Bridge last night.
“When driving out of the stadium at approximately 1-2mph in a queue of traffic exiting the ground, his car was surrounded by photographers and fans.
“In the melee that ensued a member of Chelsea’s security staff was knocked to the ground, making contact with the car. He suffered a badly bruised leg.
“John was aware at the time that there was a lot of contact with his car during the incident, but not that anyone was injured as a result.
“Upon hearing of the injury, John spoke to the police. He has also been in contact with the staff member to check on his welfare.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed they had been called to the scene, saying the injured man had broken his leg.
“A 35-year-old male was found with a broken leg,” he said. “He has been taken to a west London hospital where he is in a stable condition.
“The driver of a dark coloured 4×4 car failed to stop at the scene. No arrests were made though enquiries into the incident continue.”
With thanks to Sky Sports News
Tevez: Terry ‘Would Not Survive’ In Argentina
John Terry and Carlos Tevez exchange words during a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on February 27, 2010.
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has launched a verbal attack on England and Chelsea defender John Terry, claiming that if a player in Argentina had an affair with a team-mate’s girlfriend he would be ‘dead’.
Terry was booed on England duty at Wembley for his alleged affair with former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge’s ex-girlfriend, but Tevez claims the abuse would have been greater had he hailed from his homeland.
Tevez, a native of Buenos Aires, told the Sun: “I don’t think you can do that with the wife of another player.
“It’s wrong. In my opinion, Terry has no moral code for what he did to Bridge.
“In my neighbourhood if you do that, you lose your legs, or more – you don’t survive.”
Tevez and Terry squared up to each other in Manchester City’s 4-2 victory at Stamford Bridge last Saturday, but the former United striker denied Terry’s off-field conduct had anything to do with it.
“I didn’t fight with Terry because of that,” Tevez said.
“I fought with him because he took me by the shirt and I didn’t like it. I became furious with him because of that.”
Tevez also laid in to Terry’s team-mate Michael Ballack. “I have always had problems with Ballack but, you know, it is just football, not personal issues between us.
“I don’t know, maybe he doesn’t like me, as I don’t like him.”
With thanks to the telegraph.co.uk
Don’t Hold Your Tongue Craig Bellamy
Craig Bellamy
The impression of Criag Bellamy may have been that he is a gobby, arrogant, occasionally violent product of the grisly Premier League age.
It now appears he is in fact a fiercely honest, searingly incisive, tell-it-like-it-is victim of a culture that… Hang on.
Perhaps that’s going a bit far.
But there is something about Bellamy, a hideously unappealing but still strangely attractive and compelling figure. A beautiful gargoyle.
He is the loudmouth whose opinion you actually want to hear, because it’s compellingly honest.
Speaking after Manchester City’s 4‑2 victory at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Bellamy said of Terry: “Everybody in football knows what the guy is like. But that is off the field.”
You wanted to hear more.
John Terry has said Bellamyis guilty of hypocrisy following his critical comments regarding his affair with the mother of Wayne Bridge’s child.
Terry’s retort was pithy and to the point. “People in glasshouses should not throw stones.”
But people wanted more Bellamy.
Let me hear the truth.
Bellamy has in the past fallen out with Graeme Souness and Alan Shearer: could he be the voice of the anti-macho and the anti-bland, antithesis to the antiseptic?
Then, you remember the other stuff.
The golf club, the assorted public order arrests. Bellamy will have to remain an alluring gargoyle, a guilty pleasure, and a stopped clock that tells the right time once a day.
But he is definitely fun.
Courtesy of The Guardian
HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Bellamy hold his tongue as it is none of his business? Or do you want to hear more?
Wayne Bridge Snubbs John Terry
Wayne Bridge snubbed John Terry at the Man City vs Chelsea match.
There were no warm and fuzzy feelings between Wayne Bridge and John Terry during the Chelsea and Man City match.
Bridge refused to shake hands with Terry.
See what happens.
Loading ...
