Manchester United face Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday determined to wrap up their third consecutive Premier League title at the first attempt.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side need a draw in either of their last two fixtures, against either Arsene Wenger’s team or Hull City on May 24, to win their 18th English title and the 11th of Ferguson’s reign.

A 2-1 victory over Wigan Athletic on Wednesday evening has left United on the brink of the title and the match-winner from the JJB Stadium, midfielder Michael Carrick, is confident his side will generate a party atmosphere in the Theatre of Dreams.

“Obviously it now looks good for us,” Carrick said. “I think it’s only been done once before (by United), winning the title at home, so it would be great if we can do it again.

“But we?re not getting carried away, we?ve got to respect Arsenal for how good they are. We know we?ve still got a job to do.”

The encounter could be Carlos Tevez?s last opportunity to start a home match for United as his transfer wrangling continues to dominate events at Old Trafford.

Tevez is in contention to be picked ahead of Dimitar Berbatov in United’s starting XI after a superb substitute showing against Wigan and although his loan deal at United runs out this summer, Carrick would love to see him stay at Old Trafford.

“He?s a top player and the goals he?s contributed since he?s been here have often come at big times for us,” he said.

“We obviously don?t want to lose players, we?ve got a great squad and hopefully we can keep it together.”

A win against Arsenal would also be even sweeter for United because Saturday?s opponents won the Premier League themselves at Old Trafford back in 2002 with a 1-0 victory, a result that Arsenal?s fans continually remind United of whenever the two clubs meet.

United Aim to Make Final Point at Gunners´ Expense … read more »

Arsene Wenger has vowed to wreck Manchester United’s plans for a Premier League title party at Old Trafford on Saturday.

United need just a point from their lunchtime meeting with the Gunners to wrap up a third consecutive league triumph and equal Liverpool’s record of 18 English titles.

But Wenger insists his players will be determined to delay the celebrations and claim revenge for their Champions League semi-final defeat by United, which led many to question the Frenchman’s reliance on his homegrown youngsters.

“We have a very promising team who can deliver very soon,” Wenger claimed Thursday. “If you look at the statistics of the two teams, we have scored a similar amount of goals. In the passing quality in the final third and in the opposition half, we are as good as Manchester United.

“We have conceded more goals and that is where the difference lies; we have conceded 36, they have conceded 24, we have scored 64, they have scored 67.

“Offensively, I do not believe there is a difference. Defensively, there was a difference.”

Even if they lose to Arsenal, United will still be champions if they pick up a point at struggling Hull on the final day of the season or if Liverpool drop any points in their two remaining matches, away to West Brom and at home to Tottenham.

“It looks like it will be Manchester United, but we can still delay it,” Wenger added. “We have a point to prove, definitely.

“We want to play for our pride and be respected for who we are, that is people who love the game they play. We promised ourselves on January 1 we would give everything in every game until the end of the season.

“That is where we can show we are capable to do that.”

Despite his faith in his own squad, Wenger acknowledges that United deserve to be on top. “The 18-point gap (between United and Arsenal) is a reflection we have to take on the chin,” he said. “What people forget is that we were very far behind and we dropped too many points.

“Manchester United are world champions, European champions and will be champions of England. Everybody has to cope with that, not accept it and come back next year and beat them.”

On a night of high drama at Old Trafford, FC Porto fought back to earn a 2-2 at Manchester United FC thanks to an 89th-minute equaliser from substitute Mariano.

Absorbing
United looked to have snatched victory from this absorbing quarter-final first leg when their own substitute Carlos Tévez put them 2-1 in front with six minutes remaining but Mariano’s even later intervention means that just as they did five years ago, Porto left Old Trafford celebrating a draw. It was richly deserved too, Porto going in front through Cristián Rodríguez’s fourth-minute strike – his first in the UEFA Champions League – and continuing to trouble United even after Wayne Rooney’s equaliser on the quarter-hour.

Early strike
Where Porto’s 1-1 draw here took them past United in the 2003/04 first knockout round, this result – and performance – will give Jesualdo Ferreira’s team real hope of ousting the champions in next Wednesday’s second leg in Portugal. Porto fulfilled Ferreira’s pre-game promise that his players would rise to the occasion, attacking United from the off. Lisandro gave United an early warning when he tested Edwin van der Sar with a near-post drive inside the third minute. Sixty seconds later the Dutch goalkeeper was beaten. Cristiano Ronaldo lost the ball inside his own half and though Jonny Evans intercepted Lucho’s through pass, the Northern Irishman diverted the ball straight to Rodríguez, who cut inside and drove a left-footed shot across Van der Sar and into the far corner.

Last-gasp Mariano Goal Puts Porto in Position … read more »