After a slow start to the season, our challenges for the Premier League and the Champions League have picked up pace and now as we are in the business end of the run in we are more than challenging on both fronts.
With 7 games left we find ourselves in good stead to retain the league making it 4 in a row whilst in Europe, although taking nothing for granted, we could very well find ourselves in our 3rd consecutive final. But winning both is no small task and if it comes down to a choice between the two I think many of us would rather take the league (72% of fans have picked the league ahead of Europe in a current ManUtd.Com poll).
Following our exploits in Rome last year Sir Alex Ferguson will be itching to rectify what was essentially an un- Man United like performance and with the final being so close it would be hard to just turn your back on the competition in favour of the league but winning the league this season really would mean so much more.
Last season when we picked up our 3rd title in the row and 18th overall, pictures of the memorable ‘come back when you’ve won 18’ banner popped up all over the place. A big deal was made of the fact we had equalled Liverpool’s record 18 league titles but that isn’t enough for Fergie. In 2002 he famously stated his greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool off their perch (in language more colourful than that!) and this season with just seven games to go his goal of doing so is in sight.
Speaking earlier this month Sir Alex said,
“Winning this 19th league title is very much in my soul, we are chasing four titles in a row – that would be fantastic and if we get the 19th it would be the most in the league’s history. We’ve got a chance.”
and this is a view echoed by left back Patrice Evra who said,
“We start each season with the desire to go all the way in every competition, at United, winning one title a season doesn’t cut it. We’re obliged to win several, if not all of them. This year, the main goal is to win a fourth championship in a row, which would be historic.”
It hasn’t been easy to break Liverpool’s dominance as a host of teams have stood in the way but slowly Sir Alex and United have done so, it may have taken 24 years but final the chance has presented itself.
As I said the pursuit of the League does not mean we will or should abandon the Champions League and knowing United the chance of taking both is a high one but if it came down to it, I too would like to see Liverpool knocked off their perch!
