Friday, April 26, 2013

And.. DON'T relax: Fergie promises Manchester United won't let up after ... - Mirror.co.uk

Sir Alex Ferguson has warned there will be no let-up by Manchester United - despite having wrapped up the title with four games to spare.

United hold a 16-point lead over Manchester City and clinched the Premier League last Monday with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils can beat Chelsea's Premier League record of 95 points by winning their remaining four games and the United boss assured the rest of the Premier League they will not be easing up.

"There's always a danger, when you've won the league, of falling into the trap 'it's all over and we can relax and enjoy ourselves'," said Ferguson.

"Also, the rivalry we've had with Arsenal and Chelsea over the years does give an edge to these games anyway, so we hope we represent ourselves the right way. I went to the Arsenal and Everton game and I thought it was one of the best games I've seen this season, so it will be tough.

"I'm delighted to be sat here having won the league. I'd take that any time. With the competition yuo have in teh Premier League, you expect it to be tough, and it is tough, but some years we have won it some games before the end of the season.

"But I do think the competition is more severe now and I do think it's tough, but we're delighted [to have won it so early]."

Asked how, in the aftermath of United's 13th Premier League triumph, he had managed to keep his side at the top for two decades, Ferguson hailed the continuity embodied by his club.

"I think there are several factors," said Ferguson. "I've never looked back, always forward. There's a continuity of management here, not just myself, but my staff, and I think that definitely helps.

"We also have a nucleus of players who have spent a long time with the club. Taking aside Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, you have Rio Ferdinand, who's been here 11 years, and Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, who have been here a good number of years now, so I think that helps in that you're not making wholesale changes every year.

"If you're going to manage this club, you have to accept there's a sacrifice you have to make in terms of your commitment to it, and also there's an expectation you have to live up to, so you really have to win all the time. That's the onl yway you can fulfil the expectation.

Arsenal will form a guard of honour for newly-crowned champions United, including their former striker Robin van Persie, on Sunday when the two sides meet at the Emirates Stadium, after Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger confirmed they will observe the pre-match protocol.

"There was a bit of booing when Arsenal played at Old Trafford, and I think you'd expect a portion of the fans to do that. That's the modern generation and modern society, to be honest.

"But I'm glad Arsene's done that, because when they came to Old Trafford and won the league some years back, we did exactly that. And that's what great clubs should do."

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