วันอาทิตย์ที่ 25 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2553
Fletcher: United will not panic
Darren Fletcher is confident Manchester United will keep their nerve in the Premier League's final week.
For the second Saturday in succession, the Red Devils were forced to wait until late to claim a vital win.
Victory over Tottenham was not achieved with the last attack, as was the case the previous weekend against Manchester City, but it took goals in the final nine minutes from Nani and Ryan Giggs to seal a 3-1 win.
Chelsea responded with a 7-0 thrashing of Stoke, so with two games to play United are still a point behind and by the time they are in action again, at Sunderland next Sunday, the Stamford Bridge outfit will have completed their clash with Liverpool, which is by far the Red Devils' best hope of their rivals slipping up.
But even if things are not going United's way at the Stadium of Light, Fletcher knows the last couple of weeks have proved there will be no sense of panic.
"We just keep believing in the way we play," said the Scotland skipper.
"We don't get desperate. Although we throw players forward we still keep passing, try to get the ball wide and create the right opportunities.
"Sometimes the fans might want the ball forward early but 50-50 balls are no good. We want to keep playing the way we know."
It worked at Old Trafford as Nani scored a wonder goal to put United ahead against a Tottenham side who are still favourites for a top-four berth even though they have been joined by Aston Villa, with Manchester City and Liverpool not far behind.
Liverpool almost certainly hold the key to the title. The Merseysiders also know by avoiding defeat against Chelsea they will open up the chance for United to claim a record 19th championship.
The odds still favour the Londoners, although Sir Alex Ferguson is surprised to have reached this point given the downbeat mood that accompanied United's draw at Blackburn only a fortnight ago.
"I thought that was the end of our title bid," said the United boss. "I felt we were dead and buried."
Instead United are still in the thick of things, although they will have to get by without star man Wayne Rooney, whose groin injury at least does not threaten his participation in the World Cup.
At "two to three weeks" Ferguson's assessment would not even make Rooney a doubt for the friendly against Mexico at Wembley on May 24, or the training camp in Austria that immediately precedes it.
In Rooney's absence, United will rely on Dimitar Berbatov, who was excellent against his former club, plus old stagers Scholes and Giggs, whose first penalty was cancelled out by the excellent Ledley King 20 minutes from time.
King's outstanding performance drew further calls from Harry Redknapp for a place amongst the 23-man squad Fabio Capello will take to South Africa for his captain.
None of that matters to Fletcher, who emphasised the influence Scholes and Giggs can have.
"There are no two better players in pressure situations than Paul and Ryan," he said.
"They have been there and done it for 15 or 20 years and they are still putting performances in.
"It is great experience to have around the place.
"They are born winners. It is what you want in a squad."
Both men will be using their vast experience this week to remind United's players nothing is impossible.
Indeed, Scholes was a substitute when United went to West Ham on the final day of the 1994-95 campaign needing Liverpool to beat Blackburn at Anfield and doubts being expressed about the Merseysiders' desire to help their bitter rivals.
In the end, Liverpool won, only for the Red Devils to fail at Upton Park.
It is proof Fletcher is issuing wise words when he urged his team-mates to concentrate on themselves.
"Since they beat us at Old Trafford it has been Chelsea's title to lose," he observed.
"It is going to be close but we have to concentrate on ourselves and win our games.
"If we don't win, what Chelsea do is irrelevant."
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