Source: Telegraph
Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson sets sevenwin target to clinch title
Ferguson's team, one point clear of Liverpool ahead of the Merseysiders' Anfield clash with Arsenal, have allowed a seven-point lead slip in recent weeks on the back of successive defeats at home to Rafael Benitez's men and away to Fulham.
Liverpool can heap the pressure on United by reclaiming top spot with three points against an injury-hit Arsenal this evening.
But with the champions due to face Portsmouth at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, United manager Ferguson has made it clear that seven wins from seven games will secure an 18th league title at Old Trafford – regardless of what Liverpool and Chelsea achieve in the run-in.
Ferguson said: "We have seven games left and we want to whittle them down one by one and we can only do that by winning them. That is our intention. Take each game as it comes and hopefully win them.
"We got an important victory against Sunderland ten days ago and I thought that was a watershed in terms of the defensive part. We looked solid again and that is important for the run-in."
United's bid for a quintuple came to an end with Sunday's FA Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out defeat against Everton at Wembley, when Ferguson rested a host of key players in order to ensure fresh legs against Portsmouth.
And Ferguson remains adamant that, with United's heavy fixture burden, he had no option but to place the cup third on his list of priorities.
He said: "I felt that with the programme coming up, we wanted to win everything.
"We knew it was impossible, but I took the realistic view that the priority had to be the league and the Champions League. That's a plain fact of life.
"That is why all the analysis of the semi-final was done on the train on the way back from Wembley. We made our conclusions abut the game and we will move on because Wednesday is a big game for us."
Wayne Rooney is set to return from a foot injury against Portsmouth, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Carrick, Edwin van der Sar and Patrice Evra also due to reclaim their starting spots.
