Nigeria Content Online

Premier League leaders, Manchester United will be hoping to take
advantage of Arsenal’s Carling Cup final engagement this weekend to move four
points clear of the gunners at the top of the table. Arsenal will be up against
Birmingham City at Wembley on Sunday but Arsene Wenger’s side, following
Wednesday’s 1-0 victory over Stoke City which reduced the gap between them and
United to just one point, will not return to league action until next
Saturday’s home game against Sunderland.

The scenario leaves Alex Ferguson’s United side with an
opportunity to extend their lead by winning against the struggling Latics on
Saturday at the DW Stadium. And that looks likely to be the case come Saturday
as Wigan have not beaten United in the last 12 meetings between both sides.

Since Wigan were promoted to the Premier League for the first
time in 2005, Ferguson’s men have ended up victorious on every occasion,
including 11 Premier League wins, along with a comprehensive 4-0 drubbing of
the Latics in the 2006 Carling Cup final.

In addition, the Red Devils have scored a total of 39 goals and
conceded just four in these 12 matches including two 5-0 victories in the
2009/2010 season.

Crucial period

But aside the game against Wigan, United players, as well as the
club’s fans, will also have at the back of their minds next Tuesday’s
rescheduled fixture against Chelsea as well as next Sunday’s duel against
rivals Liverpool that could go a long way in deciding how well they do this
season in the Premier League.

“There are three massive games for us coming up now, Wigan,
Chelsea and Liverpool, and then maybe Arsenal after that in the (FA) Cup,” said
United’s Wayne Rooney.

“It’s a massive time for us in the season and we’ll have to keep
going and trying to create chances in those games. If we can get through those
games, with a good amount of points, I’m sure we’ll be up there.” Rooney, along
with strike partner, Dimitar Berbatov, will likely start and hopefully find the
back of the net on Saturday after firing blanks in United’s midweek goalless
draw against French side Marseille in the UEFA Champions League.

Rafael Da Silva is also expected to start at right-back after
missing out of the game against Marseille while there is likely to be room in
the starting 11 for the veteran duo of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

Ferguson is expected to keep faith with the central defence
partnership of Nemanja Vidic and young Chris Smalling as Rio Ferdinand is still
out with a calf injury which he suffered in their shock 2-1 defeat at Wolves.

The defeat at Wolves which to date remains United’s only league
defeat of the season was highly unexpected considering the wide gulf between
both sides in terms of player quality and class. But upsets do happen from time
to time in football and Wigan defender, Emmerson Boyce disclosed that his side
is taking inspiration from United’s loss at Molineux and hopes the Latics can
do the same on Saturday.

“Games like Manchester United are the games you want to play in and are
great occasions to experience,” Boyce said. “Wolves showed a couple of weeks
ago that United can be beaten, and we fancy our chances of doing the same.” He
added: “People probably won’t fancy us to get anything off United, but Wolves
picked up a bonus three points and we need to take heart from that. Anything,
even a point, would be a massive boost for our survival chances.” At the other
end of the table, bottom side Wolves will be desperate for three points as they
welcome Blackpool to Molineux while in Saturday’s other games, Aston Villa take
on Blackburn, Everton welcome Sunderland and Newcastle host Bolton Wanderers.