Boss Keeps City In Sight

Sir Alex admits he would accept heading to Manchester City on 30 April knowing that a United victory would take the champions to the top of the table.

The Monday night showdown at the Etihad Stadium is already prematurely being billed as a title decider by some but there is no doubt that, following Tottenham's defeat to Arsenal, the likelihood of the Barclays Premier League trophy remaining in Manchester was increased.

United travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday two points adrift of City following the last-gasp victory at Norwich and the boss is determined to keep in touch with Roberto Mancini's men.

"It’s going to be a massive game," he said of the trip to Spurs. "If we can survive that one, then we’ll have a big, big chance of winning the league.

"Yes, I would take it [being two points behind going into the Etihad Stadium fixture]. I would rather go there on level points. But if we could go there within striking distance of being top of the league, I’d take it.

"I should have more players available than I’ve had in the last few weeks because we’ve had a terrible spell of injuries. But we’ve done the right thing in the treatment of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, we’ve given them a break. They are young players and they had been carrying little strains for weeks. Then all of a sudden it hits them, and we had to take stock, to get them back. We’ve given them a fair break and they’re fresh now."

The manager is hoping that United's greater experience of winning titles could prove crucial in the run-in.

"Wayne Rooney’s been with us for nearly eight years now and he’s won a few championship medals," Sir Alex added. "He knows what it takes to win it. When he and Cristiano Ronaldo first came to the club, it was all new to them – the demands of winning the league here.

"I think the aim for all the players is to try and get to four or five league medals, and then they’ll have great experience of how to handle the title race."