Manchester United have done a record-breaking shirt sponsorship deal with American insurance giant AIG but it is Premiership leaders Chelsea who are in the market for some protective cover this weekend.
Having seen what was once a 17-point lead whittled down to seven points as a result of United’s eight-match winning run, Jose Mourinho’s side are in need of the nerve-calming tonic that a victory over West Ham in Sunday’s London derby would provide.
Seven points clear with five to play certainly sounds a lot more reassuring than seven ahead with six still to come, even if it is far from a foregone conclusion that United will be capable of extending their winning streak given that a rejuvenated Arsenal will be the visitors to Old Trafford, two hours after the action at Stamford Bridge is concluded.
United boss Alex Ferguson attempted to crank up the pressure at the start of the week by suggesting that his side’s run would pose some awkward questions about Chelsea’s capacity for holding their nerve.
But United’s England centreback Rio Ferdinand, who has quietly returned to form during his club’s recent run, struck a more realistic note, albeit while driving home the point that Chelsea could still throw everything away.
”In my mind, and in a lot of the lads’ minds, we are still concentrating all our efforts on finishing second,” Ferdinand insisted. ”If anything happens above and beyond that, it would be fantastic. But to think about anything other than that at the moment would be silly.”
Ferdinand added: ”If we are going to win something, then we would rather other people do the talking and we just get on with doing the business.
”Winning the title is a massive achievement, no matter how you win it. I don’t want to tempt fate, but if you do it when you have been behind, then there is nothing better.”
Despite his downbeat tone, Ferdinand has no doubt that the current generation of United stars have discovered the kind of winning mentality that came as second nature to previous squads at Old Trafford.
”When I first came to United in 2002, those kind of sequences were happening a lot. We’d go on runs of more than eight winning matches or unbeaten. It is great to be back in that groove again.
”It has been that factor that has been the difference for Chelsea this season. They have been grinding out points while others like ourselves, Liverpool and Arsenal have been dropping them at places where we shouldn’t.
”Now I think all the challengers are now starting to prove they can be consistent. No matter what happens in this season’s championship you get the feeling that next term will be a real race.”
Like United, Arsenal have found form late in the day and Arsene Wenger’s side, fresh from reaching their first Champions League semifinal, are looking favourites in the battle for fourth place.
The Gunners could yet eliminate the requirement for a top four league finish to ensure Champions League football in 2006/07 by winning Europe’s elite competition this season.
But Arsene Wenger is too shrewd a coach to allow such hopes to distract his squad from the task of securing the points they need to hold off Blackburn and Tottenham in the race for the final qualifying spot from the Premiership.
If Arsenal were to lift the Champions League crown this season, they will go straight into the group stage of next season’s competition and deny the team that finishes fourth in the Premiership a place at Europe’s top table.
It is a scenario that is not helping Tottenham coach Martin Jol relax as the season nears its climax.
”I don’t want to think about Arsenal to be honest because if I do I would probably get worried and I don’t want to be worried,” Jol confessed in the build-up to his side’s clash with Manchester City on Saturday.
”I have to say it is really enjoyable when you see an English team doing so well but on the other hand if they do too well, it could be a problem for us. That’s why I don’t want to think about it.”
With most of the top clubs in action on Sunday, Saturday’s programme could be significant for the relegation dogfight.
Portsmouth will be seeking a fourth straight win at home to Blackburn while Birmingham, who overcame Bolton in midweek, attempt to create similar momentum when they travel to Wigan.
Sunderland’s long-anticipated relegation will be confirmed if they lose at home to Fulham. – Sapa-AFP