Ferguson: Title race between Manchester duo
Reuters - Friday 07 December 2012, 11:32
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson predicted on Friday the Premier
League title will be won by either his team or their fierce rivals
Manchester City.
The teams
clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday with United three
points clear of champions City. They have already opened up a gap on
third-placed Chelsea who are a further seven points adrift.
"I
think the two sides have that gap over Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.
It will be difficult to think the two of us will collapse. I think it
will be between the two of us," Ferguson told reporters.
Even
if United end City's unbeaten start to the season on Sunday, Ferguson
said a six-point advantage at this stage of the season would not be that
significant.
"It won't mean a
great deal because there's such a long way to go until the end of the
season," he said. "You can never be sure and you can lose to anyone.
That's the kind of league we're in. It's a tough league."
United
will be without wingers Nani, who has a hamstring injury, and Antonio
Valencia, who has a hip problem, for the derby after Ferguson revealed
the pair would be out of action for a "few weeks".
Captain
Nemanja Vidic, who had been touted for a midweek return in the
Champions League, and playmaker Shinji Kagawa will also miss out and are
now set to return against Sunderland the following week.
"I thought Kagawa may have done enough to make the bench on Wednesday but no, he's well short," Ferguson said.
"But
I don't think he'll be available until the Sunderland game. Vidic has
certainly been doing well in training and it suits his own confidence to
play but I think the game on Sunday is a bit soon for him. I think
he'll be ready for Sunderland.
"I
know we've got a few injuries at the moment but we've got a big strong
squad of players. Nani and Valencia are still out. It will be a few
weeks with them."