Source: Team_Talk
Fergie bemoans Gerrard's 'great gift'
Sir Alex Ferguson bemoaned Steven Gerrard's "great gift" to Chelsea after Manchester United won at Sunderland to stay in the title race.[LNB] Ferguson saw Didier Drogba latch onto the Liverpool midfielder's back pass to fire Chelsea in front at Anfield as they briefly extended their advantage to four points.[LNB]United's 1-0 win on Wearside reduced the gap again to a single point, but the Blues remain in the driving seat for next weekend's dramatic finale.[LNB]Ferguson said: "I just saw it after the game. It was a great gift. There's nothing we can do about it now, we just have to get on with it."[LNB]If Chelsea beat Wigan at home next Sunday - they lost 3-1 at the JJB Stadium in September - the trophy will be heading for Stamford Bridge regardless of what happens at Old Trafford, where Stoke are the visitors.[LNB]But Ferguson knows from experience that nothing is ever certain in football.[LNB]He said: "All we can do is win our game next week. We want to do that, we are playing in front of our fans in the last game of the season.[LNB]"I won't insult Wigan in any shadow or form because I think they are a really good football team.[LNB]"They will have a go and you never know what happens in football. It's a crazy game."[LNB]United's neighbours could do them a massive favour next weekend, although Ferguson admits that might a tough task.[LNB]He said: "Manchester City did us a great turn by beating them [Chelsea] twice, and they (Wigan) are another neighbour.[LNB]"Listen, we are clutching at straws a little bit, but the important thing is for us to win our game and enjoy it in front of our fans.[LNB]"There will be 76,000 there, we will play the right way and we will play with a lot of dignity in our game. You never know."[LNB]Nani's 28th-minute goal was enough to claim all three points on an afternoon when United could have won much more comfortably.[LNB]Dimitar Berbatov missed a trio of glorious chances although Sunderland had their own opportunities before the break when John Mensah and Lorik Cana both headed wide and Steed Malbranque saw a well-struck drive turned over by Edwin van der Sar.[LNB]However, Craig Gordon was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers and Michael Turner had to hack a 78th-minute shot from substitute Michael Carrick off the line.[LNB]Ferguson added: "We were just careless in our finishing, I suppose. It looked that way. We had great chances.[LNB]"They probably felt they were comfortable but we got there, that's the important thing, three points.[LNB]"A 1-0 victory away from home is always a good result."[LNB]Former United defender Steve Bruce, who admitted his side had lacked quality in the final third, said: "It takes it to the last game of the season but it would take an almighty collapse by Chelsea and, if we are being honest, I don't think you can see that at the moment.[LNB]"You can't see Wigan going and getting a result, but you can never say never, can you? But they (United) are not going to give it up, that's for certain, he'll not give it up."[LNB]Bruce was more concerned with the suspected cruciate ligament injury suffered by young midfielder David Meyler, who was due to link up with the Republic of Ireland for a training camp later his month, just a week after he signed a new five-year contract.[LNB]He said: "We are fearing he has done his cruciate knee ligament so that's a huge blow because the kid has had such an impact for us.[LNB]"We hope that it's not too bad. He's going to have scans and X-rays over the next 24, 48 hours."[LNB]
