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United and Chelsea seek tonic after midweek
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-04 10:08
LONDON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The one scrap of consolation for under-fire Alex
Ferguson before Manchester United's Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday
is that Jose Mourinho's side also lost in Europe in midweek.
Both
managers are looking for a vast improvement from their players in a match United
must win to keep runaway leaders Chelsea in sight in the race for the English
championship.
Chelsea are 13 points clear of United, who are in seventh place and the
champions are nine points ahead of surprise second placed side Wigan Athletic.
Ferguson could be forgiven for thinking the Champions League is the more
realistic ambition for United, although Wednesday's 1-0 defeat by Lille in Paris
has left them in a fight to reach the last 16.
Now, though, Ferguson needs to quickly motivate a group of young players
harshly criticised by team captain Roy Keane if United are not to go another
season without winning a trophy.
Their only victory in the last five games was against fourth-division Barnet
in the League Cup. They lost 4-1 at Middlesbrough in the Premier League last
weekend.
"At the moment we are missing a lot of experienced players," Ferguson told
reporters after the Lille match in Paris.
Ferguson also needs to placate irate United fans.
"Our supporters had a hostile reaction towards us in the Stade de France
stands and that's new in the history of Manchester United," he was quoted as
saying in the French sports daily L'Equipe.
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