Hart Backs United For Title Glory

23 April 2009 07:09
Portsmouth manager Paul Hart believes the Premier League title is in the bag for Manchester United.[LNB]The Red Devils overcame Pompey 2-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, with Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick scoring the goals that opened up a three-point lead over Liverpool at the Premier League summit.[LNB]Considering United also have a game in hand and their north-west rivals only have five to play, it seems the championship race is firmly in United's favour.[LNB]Hart certainly thinks so.[LNB]"I can't see anything to stop them becoming champions," said the Pompey chief.[LNB]"They are an extremely good side and the result at Anfield on Tuesday was a major boost for them."[LNB]Despite the welcome three points, Sir Alex Ferguson was not entirely happy.[LNB]Having watched Rooney tap home Ryan Giggs' pinpoint cross to give the hosts an early lead, Ferguson then saw them fail to convert a string of chances that could have put the match beyond Portsmouth before half-time.[LNB]And when the south coast outfit started to create a few chances after the break, Ferguson feared United would fail to seize on Liverpool's slip against Arsenal.[LNB]"In the first-half we produced some of our best football all season," said Ferguson.[LNB]"But we missed a lot of chances. It gave them encouragement and when they created a couple of chances in the second-half I thought 'we are going to throw this away'.[LNB]"It is so embarrassing to be talking about throwing a game away when you should be maybe six goals up."[LNB]Not for the first time, Paul Scholes came to the rescue, marking his entry into United's exclusive 600 club with a sublime pass to set up Carrick near the end.[LNB]"It is not difficult for me to appreciate Paul Scholes," said Hart.[LNB]"I use him as an example to all the kids I work with at Portsmouth and have done for many years.[LNB]"Whatever anyone says about Paul Scholes, I have said it as well.[LNB]"He is a shining example of someone who doesn't take liberties with the ball. He controls everything stone dead. It all looks perfect."[LNB]The win came at a price for United, who look set to be without defensive duo Gary Neville and John O'Shea for the remainder of the season.[LNB]Neville limped off with a foot injury not long after Rooney's opener, while his replacement hobbled off with an ankle problem after getting on the wrong end of a tackle from Nadir Belhadj.[LNB]"They are out for weeks," said Ferguson.[LNB]"They were both bad tackles but the referee didn't do anything about them.[LNB]"You normally expect some firm discipline from Peter Walton - but not this time."[LNB]

Source: Eurosport