Guus Hiddink insists Chelsea are ready to step up the pressure on Manchester United in the Premier League title race after claiming a third successive victory under the Dutch manager.

Frank Lampard’s injury-time winner secured a 2-1 success over Wigan on Saturday that moved Hiddink’s side above Liverpool and into second place, seven points adrift of leaders United.

Hiddink concedes the possibility of overhauling Sir Alex Ferguson’s side is remote, particularly with Edwin van der Sar on an astonishing run that has seen the United keeper keep a clean sheet in his last 14 league games.

But Chelsea’s fortunes have undoubtedly been revived since Hiddink succeeded sacked Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari and the manager is refusing to rule out a late season title charge.

“I’m rather realistic, that’s to say we have to first win our games, and hopefully a little bit more comfortably than we did here,” Hiddink said.

“And then we have to ask Edwin van der Sar if he likes to have this ball in the back of his net. And I know him very well so I don’t think he’s willing to do so.

“So that means a stable team like Manchester United, let’s face the facts, are in a good seat.

“But as long as we have the possibility, as long as it’s not decided, we will keep going and that is what we have proven last week at Villa Park and here.

“As long as the team is keeping up this fighting spirit we keep on going for the things that can be reached at the end.”

Chelsea Ready To Crank Up Pressure On United … read more »

“It’s time to kill or be killed,” said Cristiano Ronaldo as Manchester United FC looked ahead to meeting FC Internazionale Milano in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League.

‘Better team’
As the business end of the competition begins, the Portuguese winger insists there is no margin for error, especially against a side as powerful as the Italian champions. “From now on, all games are important,” Ronaldo told uefa.com. “It’s time to kill or be killed. Whoever loses will exit the competition and we don’t want to lose, we don’t want to get stuck along the way. It will be a difficult game, but I think that Manchester United have a better team, and we’ll do our best to win it.”

Inter strength
Inter have won the Scudetto for each of the past three seasons and are on course to do so again, but despite dominating Italian football in recent years they have been unable make their mark in Europe. It is 44 years since they last lifted the European Champion Clubs’ Cup and Ronaldo believes United’s experience of winning the competition last season will give them the edge.

All Or Nothing For Cristiano Ronaldo … read more »

Manchester United FC were crowned FIFA World Club Cup champions after a Wayne Rooney goal gave them a 1-0 victory over Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito at the International Stadium in Yokohama.

Early domination
The 2008 UEFA Champions League winners dominated the early stages against their South American counterparts with Rooney, Carlos Tévez and Ji-Sung Park all testing José Cevallos in the Quito goal. Jayro Campos spurned the Ecuadorian side’s best opportunity of the opening period when Damián Manso delivered a dangerous set-piece.

Rooney winner
The second half started poorly for United as centre-back Nemanja Vidić was sent off following a clash with Argentinian forward Claudio Bieler. However, they continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges and took the lead with 17 minutes remaining when Cristiano Ronaldo found Rooney, who finished clinically. Quito threw men forward as they searched for an equaliser but United held on to succeed AC Milan as world club titleholders and become the first English club to win the competition in its current incarnation.