United takes six-point cushion into Blackburn clash
United takes six-point cushion into Blackburn clash
LONDON (UPI): Manchester United travels to Blackburn today for what has long been billed as an English League Championship decider but after an eventful week of soccer the game no longer deserves the tag.
United's 16-point January lead faded to just three last Saturday as Blackburn continued its dogged pursuit with a 3-1 defeat of Swindon.
If all had gone to script this week the top two would have been meeting at Ewood Park level on points. But perennial party- pooper Wimbledon upset the equation with a 4-1 hammering of Blackburn Tuesday and United secured a six-point lead 24 hours later with a battling 1-0 win over deadly rival Liverpool.
And with United boasting a far-superior goal-difference a Rovers victory Saturday would still leave Alex Ferguson's men needing a major slip-up during their last seven games to let the title go astray.
The treble is already gone - Sunday's 3-1 Wembley defeat by Aston Villa in the League Cup final saw to that - but retaining the League has always been United's priority.
Last Easter United began a run of six successive League wins which swept it to its first championship for 26 years. Now it aims to become only the second club in 35 years - after Liverpool - to retain it.
"Beating Liverpool was very important for us," said Ferguson whose team had had a miserable previous three weeks, being hit by four sendings-off in five matches and under fire for its poor discipline.
"That win gives us a cushion of six points and we've got a 14- goal advantage in goal difference which could be vital at the end of the day," he added.
United go into Saturday's clash with Kenny Dalglish's men without French star Eric Cantona who starts a five-match suspension. But that could bring to the fore another Old Trafford hero - who was almost out of the door earlier this month - Bryan Robson.
Linked with the managerial vacancy at Wolves, 37-year-old Robson at one stage looked to be on his way but he opted to stay and play his role in the championship run-in.
United will erect two giant video screens at Old Trafford on Saturday for supporters who cannot get tickets for Ewood Park where the capacity is Reduced to 21,000 while rebuilding work goes on.
With Villa (League Cup winner) and Blackburn (as probable runner-up) set to take the two available places, third-placed Newcastle looks like missing out, while Arsenal (fourth) must hope to win the European Cup Winner's Cup and qualify for that competition again as holder.
Swindon will need to win at Highbury and follow up with three points from Monday's home game against Sheffield Wednesday to have any hope of survival as the relegation battle hots up.
Oldham faces a tough program at home to Queens Park Rangers and away to Manchester United while Sheffield United's task at Liverpool and home to Arsenal hardly looks easier.
Alan Ball's Southampton have demanding holiday "six-pointers" against relegation rivals Chelsea (away) and Manchester City (home).