Sir Alex Ferguson knows Manchester United have let their grip slip on the Premier League title
Furious Sir Alex Ferguson admitted Manchester United’s calamitous defending has handed the title initiative to neighbours City.
And he described next Monday’s showdown between the two clubs at the Etihad Stadium as the most important Manchester derby ever.
“We’ve thrown away the game and it could be costly,” said Ferguson after a 4-4 draw at home to Everton.
“We have given them [City] the initiative, there is no
doubt about that. It makes the game at the Etihad really important – a
decider really.”
A City victory in that game
would mean they went top of the Premier League on goal difference with
just two games left – after being eight points behind a fortnight ago.
We have given them [City] the initiative, there is no doubt about that.
City
pulled to within three points of United by sentencing Wolves to
relegation with a 2-0 win two hours after their neighbours had been held
by Everton.
“There has been an expectancy from
City that it could be their decider, but it’s our decider too now,” said
Ferguson. “Is it the most important derby? Yes, definitely. It’s game
on.
“We have made it hard for ourselves as we
normally do. Look at our history and you see we keep doing that. Now we
need to get a result at the Etihad, we need to perform. We will go there
knowing we are capable of getting a result. But we have given ourselves
a difficult task.”
Yet Roberto Mancini
continued to talk down City’s chances. “I don’t bet, but if I did I
would put it on Manchester United, 100 per cent,” said the City boss.
“Only
one team can win this title. It’s not in our hands. We have three
points less. After the derby we play Newcastle, who are fighting for the
Champions League, and QPR, who are fighting relegation.
“We are here. We have three points less than Manchester United and we have won three games in a row.
“When we played the FA Cup in January we gave them a gift. United won. But Monday will be a different game.
“I
don’t think United have pressure because they are used to it every
year. For us, it’s different because it’s the first time. At the moment,
we don’t have any pressure because we are not expected to win.”
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