Manchester United maintained the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a last-gasp victory over Everton yesterday, but Sir Alex Ferguson believes that neither club can underestimate the threat posed by Chelsea and Liverpool in what promises to be the most open title race in several seasons. (Times Online 24th December 2007)
United trail Arsenal by one point at the top of the table, with Chelsea and Liverpool respectively a further five and nine points adrift and separated by Manchester City, the season’s surprise package. To judge from his talk of “the battle of the big four”, Ferguson does not regard City as realistic contenders, but the United manager considers that Chelsea and Liverpool are serious challengers for the title, particularly if the top two drop points over the Christmas period.
United almost did so at Old Trafford yesterday, when it took an 88th-minute penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo to end Everton’s 13-match unbeaten run, but Ferguson believes his team are in a commanding position as the season nears the halfway stage, even if he continues to look beyond Arsenal to the threat posed by Chelsea, who won 1-0 away to Blackburn Rovers yesterday, and Liverpool, who beat Portsmouth 4-1 on Saturday.
“You can’t say it is a two-horse race now,” Ferguson said after United’s 2-1 win. “As far as I’m concerned the battle of the big four is still on. There’s a slight gap opening up, with Arsenal and ourselves nosing in front of Chelsea and Liverpool, but you can’t start calling it a two-horse race. It’s far too early."