By Myles Palmer
If Arsenal win at Old Trafford they are champions.
If they draw they are champions.
If they lose, they will still beat Everton on Saturday and be champions.
So 2001-2002 has worked out neatly and Wednesday night, though a hard game, must be regarded as a once-in-a-century opportunity.
Fergie has finally admitted that Arsenal are the best team.
He said, “Our run-in has been good, but Arsenal have won all their games, so credit to them.They’re in top form and you can’t deny them that.
“If you win your last eleven games you deserve to win the league, and I don’t think they’ve lost a goal in the last five games-that’s championship form.”
United are a very proud, hungry and formidable outfit, a team full of match-winners.
And Fergie will have them fired up because he knows Arsenal won 2-1 at Liverpool with ten men and so United cannot win 6-1 like last season.
He said, “They’ll come here and show their normal aggression and they’ll try to win It’s up to us to make sure they don’t win the league here.”
However, I’m sure that Keane and Vieira will NOT be going eyeball to eyeball, like two psychotic stags. Both men have grown up in the last three years.
Unlike a lot of fans, I’m not really into the tribal aspect of this long-awaited clash.But I sometimes slip into that mode in my weaker, sillier moments.
In fact, I would rather see a skilful, sporting, competitive game of football.
6th May 2002.