Fergie seeks Premier response as drop battle hots up
31 Oct 2009 - 02:38:00
LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United will go in search of a return to winning ways in the Premier League when the champions welcome swine-flu hit Blackburn Rovers to Old Trafford on Saturday.
Last weekend's 2-0 loss to bitter rivals Liverpool left United two points behind leaders Chelsea.
But Ferguson challenged his players to put their disappointment behind him by saying: "We lost 4-1 to Liverpool at home last season, which was a travesty but the players buckled down and we went on to win the league."
Whatever else the long-serving Scot has to worry about, the problem of job security is unlikely to be uppermost in his mind.
It's a far cry from the position Hull boss Phil Brown finds himself in.
The relegation-threatened Tigers' match against Burnley is their first fixture since chairman Paul Duffen resigned on Thursday, a move that led to renewed speculation about Brown's position a day after Hull took the unusual step of insisting their manager had not been sacked.
But Brown has taken heart from Hull's recent win over Wigan and even a goalless draw with basement club Portsmouth.
"A manager always relies on results, and at this moment in time we've got four points from three games. If we put our best foot forward again and get something from the game that would be a good return from October.
Portsmouth, beset by a transfer ban and continuing uncertainty over their financial position, welcome Wigan to Fratton Park on Saturday.
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is wary of what lies in store on the south coast, even though Pompey have won just once so far in the league this season.
"They are beginning to gel as a team and have been unfortunate not to get better results," Martinez said.
"They do not reflect where Portsmouth are - and they have not being getting the credit they deserve," the Spaniard added.
"It is always a tough place to visit, and we will have to be ready - because they will be very competitive."
And competition is likely to be the watchword when Arsenal and Tottenham meet for a north London derby that promises to be especially lively.
That the Gunners are third in the table is no great shock; that Spurs are fourth, on goal difference alone, is something of a surprise.
"I think at the start of the season a lot of people wrote off Arsenal," said Tottenham forward Peter Crouch.
"They've got a young squad but they seem to have shown everyone that they can still play," the England striker added.
"But I think we've also surprised a few people by the way we've started. We're in the top four at the minute and we want to stay there as long as we possibly can."
Staying in the top four is not the issue for fellow capital side Chelsea, who are determined to wrest the title from United.
They face Bolton for the second time in three days following their 4-0 thrashing of the Trotters in the League Cup.
"We are playing very well and scoring a lot of goals, we have to keep doing that," said Blues striker Salomon Kalou.
Elsewhere on Saturday second-bottom West Ham travel to Sunderland while Everton are at home to Aston Villa and Stoke play Wolves.
Sunday's match sees big-spending Manchester City away to Birmingham.
Fixtures (1500GMT unless stated)
Saturday: Arsenal v Tottenham (1245GMT), Bolton v Chelsea, Burnley v Hull, Everton v Aston Villa, Fulham v Liverpool, Manchester United v Blackburn (1730GMT), Portsmouth v Wigan, Stoke v Wolverhampton, Sunderland v West Ham
Sunday: Birmingham v Manchester City (1600GMT)
