Manchester United will be happy to hang on to Manchester City’s coat-tails over the next few crucial weeks as the northwest rivals go head-to-head for the Premier League title. That was United manager Alex Ferguson‘s view after his side negotiated the first of a tricky run of fixtures with a 2-1 victory at Arsenal Sunday, hours after City got out of jail to beat third-placed Tottenham Hotspur 3-2.

Those results left City three points clear of United and eight clear of Spurs and, while the Londoners could still claw their way back into the picture, is looking like a two-horse race between the sky blue and red halves of Manchester. The next few weeks could go a long way to deciding whether City finally emerge from the shadow cast by Alex Ferguson‘s serial title winners.

City’s looming league fixtures look the easier and they will view the next half a dozen games as a perfect chance to turn up the heat on the defending champions.After Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final, second leg against Liverpool, when they must overturn a 1-0 deficit, they can look forward to hosting Fulham, Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers along with trips to Everton, Aston Villa and Swansea.

United, on the other hand, have Chelsea and Tottenham away in their next five league fixtures, as well as Liverpool at home – all that after this weekend’s FA Cup clash at Anfield.

There is also the small matter of City away in April. “I said before the game that we had four massive away games to come and that’s one out the way,” said Ferguson, whose ability to mastermind the run-in to a title chase is unrivalled, told United’s website. “What we need to do is stay on City’s coat-tails. Football is a funny game. The game at City today tells you things can happen and there will be changes.”

That task will be complicated by a nagging run of injuries which is stretching Ferguson’s squad to the limit. Rio Ferdinand was forced to miss the Arsenal match with a flare-up of his back trouble and Phil Jones lasted just 17 minutes before succumbing to an ankle injury.

“It’s not good news for us,” Ferguson, who is also without central defensive rock Nemanja Vidic, said. “I think Jones will be out for a few weeks — it’s ankle ligaments.”While City must make do without influential midfielder Yaya Toure while he plays at the African Nations Cup, they will be boosted by the return of central defender Vincent Kompany, who will be eligible for the away trip to Everton next week after completing a four-match ban.

Unpredictable as the top flight has been this season it is not too fanciful to suggest City could harvest maximum points from their next six games — a return that would test United’s staying power to the full.

Should United still be within striking distance once the days are stretching out and the daffodils are in bloom, however, the odds of them retaining their title will shorten rapidly. “I always say the league is not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” United’s experienced left back Patrice Evra said.

“We are still behind City but we have to keep going, keep winning games and I’m really confident in the team because everyone is working really hard and when we play with the United spirit it is difficult to beat us.”

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This was never going to be another 8-2 but the result must have felt as sweet to United and as sour to Arsenal, whose fans berated their manager for removing the energetic Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the lord of lethargy Andrei Arshavin.

As the home fans seethed, as United seized on Arshavin’s lack of defensive effort to race through the gears and score the winner, the ­Emirates was reminded of United’s resilience, of their ability to win when not being at their breathtaking best. United boast the DNA of winners. Arsenal do not.

Here was a reminder of the champions’ considerable cadre of players prepared to take responsibility for the destiny of games, propelling them to victory. Antonio Valencia headed the first and was a force down the right all afternoon, attacking and defending, even creating the second from full-back. Danny Welbeck was terrific, leading the line and taking his goal emphatically. Patrice Evra was exceptional, a model of defensive determination and counter-attacking verve.

This was not a game that will feature in any highlights DVD of Wayne Rooney’s greatest moments, unless there is a section on diving, but the striker put in an immense shift of work in dropping off Welbeck and disrupting Arsenal supply-lines.

Painfully for Arsenal fans, this was also a reminder of the fallibility of their manager. An outstanding servant to Arsenal, deserving of respect for all his achievements and his commitment to the Beautiful Game, Wenger made a catastrophic decision with the scores at 1-1. Arsenal were in the ascendancy, having recovered from a shocking first half to level through Robin van Persie.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, all pace and purpose, was worrying United, sending hope sweeping through the home terraces. He had been a beacon amid the darkness of the first half, relishing his first Premier League start. He had helped lead the fightback in the second. He seemed the man who could win it for Arsenal. As the clock showed 74 minutes, Wenger took off Oxlade-Chamberlain, citing fatigue although the teenager seemed full of running. Van Persie looked on in disbelief, mouthing the word “no’’.

Yes. He really had done it. Wenger was in Édith Piaf mode, regretting nothing, and attempting to defend the indefensible by saying he had made 50,000 substitutions in 30 years as a manager, which works out at roughly 30 subs a game. No wonder the French economy is in such a mess.

The only numbers that really counted were those on the scoreboard. The mood changed with Oxlade-Chamberlain’s departure; the nerves returned, especially when the ball was near Arshavin. Valencia duly ran past him to set up Welbeck’s ­winner. For Arsenal, this was a chronicle of a death foretold. Arshavin’s commitment levels have been questioned countless times this season.

Injuries have hit them hard and hit them hardest at full-back. Wenger fielded centre-halves out wide, Johan Djourou and Thomas Vermaelen, and they were caught out badly by Nani and especially Valencia.
A sliver of controversy arrived before United’s opener. Alex Song made the slightest of contact with Rooney, who went down theatrically, pleading for a penalty. Mike Dean waved play on. Overall, Rooney was far more sinned against than sinning. Song led with his arm in challenging Rooney, catching the United striker on the head.

Just before the break it was ­United’s turn to inflict the pain, taking a lead that their greater tempo deserved. Evra began the move down the left, chesting the ball accurately to Nani, who invited the overlapping Ryan Giggs to have a run at Djourou. ­Valencia, stealing in ahead of the sluggish Vermaelen, headed home Giggs’s expert cross.

Wenger acted at the break, replacing Djourou with somebody who can play full-back, Nico Yennaris. As well as tweaking the team, Wenger seemed to have changed the mood. His players finally understood the importance of the game, the need for the type of sweat-soaked shifts that United were putting in. When Chris Smalling made a rare slip, Tomas Rosicky darted through, teed up Van Persie, whose shot flew wide.

United were being pushed back, almost up the Holloway Road. Oxlade-Chamberlain executed another step-over but fired just off-target. Even so deep, United were still dangerous on the counter. When Per Mertesacker misjudged Jonny Evans’s powerful clearing header, Welbeck ran through on goal, lifting the ball over Wojciech Szczesny. Mertesacker, showing unexpected speed, raced back to clear. Another United counter, after 71 minutes, cost them. Rafael, who had come on for the injured Phil Jones, exchanged passes with Rooney but was effortlessly dispossessed by ­Laurent Koscielny. Rafael resembled a confused child suddenly robbed of a sweet. He beat the floor in ­frustration.

As he did, Koscielny calmly played the ball out to Rosicky, who swept it from right to left to Oxlade-Chamberlain. With Rafael out of position, Valencia attempted to cover back but Oxlade-Chamberlain cut inside and found Van Persie. The Dutchman fired low between Evans’s legs and past Anders Lindegaard. Van Persie celebrated the goal by lifting his shirt to reveal a vest wishing a “Happy 91st birthday” to his grandfather Wim, who was looking on proudly.

Wim coming on might have brought a more positive reaction than Arshavin. The boos rang out for the Russian. It was all eyes on the bench as Rafael, already booked and in Sir Alex Ferguson’s bad books for his expensive run, went off, in a slight huff, for Ji-sung Park.

Valencia slotted in at right-back but never eschewed his attacking duties. With nine minutes remaining, Valencia was released by Paul Scholes and responded with pace and skill. Valencia turned into Barcelona. He ignored Arshavin’s version of tracking back, a few steps and a pirouette, and glided into the box. He played a one-two with Park before cutting the ball back to Welbeck, who drilled it in.

For all the legitimate criticism of Wenger and Arshavin, Arsenal’s failure to mark Welbeck was shocking. United duly closed down the game, defending with intelligence and resolve. Smalling headed out a Van Persie ball. Michael Carrick volleyed clear a cross from Yennaris.

It was all over bar the shouting at Wenger. The dissent did not last long, but Arsenal need some belief, some full-backs and to avoid crazy substitutions. United, meanwhile, continue to scale Olympian heights.

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Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea will undergo a laser surgery for an eye problem that impinges on long-range vision in one eye, after enduring an inconsistent start to life at Old Trafford. He is suffering from this condition since childhood and constantly wears glasses, and while playing football he uses contact lens in his eyes to overcome this deficiency.

However, United has refused to blame the matter for De Gea’s difficult start to life at the Theatre of Dreams, it was reported. The Spaniard was recommended before his 17.8 million pounds move to Old Trafford from Atletico Madrid in March, that his eyes were not prepared for the surgery yet. But now De Gea is hoping that he can have a surgery before the Olympic games commence since he has plans to participate in it. De Gea was dropped from United’s squad after his howler cost them their match against Blackburn Rovers on the New Year’s Eve.

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Uncertainty in defence is usually disastrous, but the rivalry between goalkeepers at Old Trafford is intriguing and may even be stimulating in the long run. Nonetheless, these are unlikely to be the circumstances envisaged by Sir Alex Ferguson when he prepared for life without Edwin van der Sar, now retired, in the Manchester United line-up.

Much as managers extol competition for places, they are generally happy to see the same man between the posts week after week. United, out of circumstance more than preference, have been calling that principle into question as David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard vie for selection.

It is unlikely that the club anticipated the current situation. Ferguson might have liked to depict them as equals who each had something to prove, but the contrast was marked. While De Gea cost £18.9m from Atlético Madrid last June, a club who won the Europa League in 2010, Lindegaard was already on the United payroll as a £3.5m signing from Aalesund and had his first outing with United almost a year ago.

De Gea, however, has faltered while his rival seems invigorated after overcoming the odds. There may even be a special satisfaction to keep him buoyant as he puts the sceptics to flight for the moment. A gift for defiance is particularly welcome in goalkeepers and the Dane must be revelling in it these days.

His great countryman and United predecessor Peter Schmeichel had been scornful when the early suggestions circulated that Lindegaard could be of service at Old Trafford. "We are talking about United here," he said. "You can look at talent, you can look at young good players, [but] you don't want that, you want someone who can go in straight away and give performances in 80% of the games that the No1 choice goalkeeper will play for United."

Those remarks appear obsolete, with Lindegaard full of conviction at present. Goalkeepers, peculiarly, are supposed to be soulmates as well as rivals, perhaps because each understands the stresses the other experiences. Nonetheless, Lindegaard does not conceal his satisfaction.

He has started three games since De Gea was held accountable for the 3-2 loss to Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford. "I don't need a [guarantee] of my position," said Lindegaard. "I enjoy every game I play for United, it is a massive privilege." The goalkeeper even sounded fleetingly as if he had appointed himself mentor to a surely crestfallen De Gea.

"I am doing everything I can to help him," said Lindegaard. "I enjoy working with him. He's a great lad. He is happy, intelligent, always with a good attitude and we have to push each other.

"We have to see the glass half full, not half empty. It has been very good for both of us. Every time we play, the last guy to wish the keeper good luck is the other keeper.

"We have a very good relationship and I enjoy working with him. He has extraordinary attributes – extremely explosive and powerful. He is only 21. His potential is massive and there is no doubt he will be United's best goalkeeper at some point. My job is to make sure it is not until I have retired. Which is [in] 10 years."

That little piece of teasing is not merely jocular. At 27, Lindegaard is far from gnarled and the ambition shines through. "I am very proud of what I have made out of this. Three years ago I was in Denmark's second division. Nobody knew my name. When I first came here nobody could pronounce it. It has been fantastic to this point and right now is not the time to relax about it, but to keep pushing on, to get better and to get the best for yourself and the club."

The circumstances are still complicated. Any notion of United alternating goalkeepers would be folly, evoking a time, for instance, when Ron Greenwood's alternating of Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence for England spoke of indecision rather than the granting of equal opportunity.

Ferguson, however, is not to be taken as a ditherer. He might like to operate a meritocracy, but it is improbable that De Gea will be shoved into the margins of his thinking. The manager, indeed, has taken steps to counteract any such notion, with the Spaniard preferred for four of the six games in the ultimately unsuccessful Champions League group campaign.

De Gea seems to be treated as a long-term investment who is also meant to hold down his place in the line-up at the moment. Nothing will come easy to him or, indeed, to Lindegaard. Each could bemoan circumstances in the back four that see the centre-half and captain Nemanja Vidic lost to injury for the season just when Rio Ferdinand, as he ages, needs the aid of the Serb more than ever.

These taxing circumstances could be the making of De Gea. Or Lindegaard.

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It was the day that Manchester well and truly put London in its place. The new capital of football could hardly have made a more forceful argument, winning 13-3 on aggregate – and it was a scoreline that didn’t flatter the city.

United dished out a beating to Arsenal just hours later – putting eight past their old rivals. Wayne Rooney’s hat-trick and two pearls from Ashley Young were the highlights of an unforgettable 8-2 win that backed up every argument that the Premier League title would be a two-horse race.

But what has happened since?
 
While United remain on top – Arsenal have kept pace admirably. They have been allowed to fly under the radar while the Manchester United have grabbed the headlines. Here M.E.N Sport’s James Robson looks at the form of both sides since that remarkable Sunday in August – and just who will triumph in what promises to be one of the most exciting title races of all time.

United
That United are only three points adrift of City at the top of the table is nothing short of a minor miracle. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side has been decimated by injuries to key players – most notably Nemanja Vidic and Tom Cleverley.

As feared, he has struggled to replace Edwin van der Sar with David de Gea now being removed from the spotlight after a series of high-profile blunders. He failed to sign a world-class successor for Paul Scholes – and following injury to Cleverley has only been saved by the ginger magician’s shock decision to come out of retirement.

The truth is it could have been even better for United if not for back-to-back defeats to Blackburn and Newcastle over New Year. That the champions remain in touching distance is an ominous sign for their rivals. Ferguson’s teams traditionally come on strong in the second half of the season and with the injury list beginning to clear up, he could soon have a near full-strength squad to call upon.

Cleverley will be like a new signing – and there is still time for Fergie to enter the transfer market before the end of January. United’s title-winning know-how could prove their greatest asset in the closing stages with both City and Tottenham in unchartered waters.

Arsenal
The 8-2 at Old Trafford was Arsene Wenger’s most humiliating day in management. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, he has been humbled many more times since. That mauling was enough to prompt him to make a supermarket dash on transfer deadline day, bringing in Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker and Andre Santos. But Arsenal have rarely looked so far from genuine title-challengers under Wenger.

In truth, a top-four finish is their main target this season – one that is by no means guaranteed with Chelsea and Liverpool also in competition. The 4-3 defeat at Blackburn in September was another low, as were back-to-back defeats to Fulham and Swansea in their last two league games. Thierry Henry might have returned to an emotional fanfare but even he is falling out with supporters now.

Most worrying for Gunners fans is that for the first time in Wenger’s reign there is no clear sign of progress. His current Arsenal side is not a team in transition, as has been argued for much of the last eight years since their last title success.

Robin van Persie is the new figurehead of the club – but how long until he goes the way of Henry and Cesc Fabregas before him and heads through the exit door and to the promise of trophies elsewhere?

Jack Wilshere is the man Arsenal’s future hopes rely on – but at the moment he simply doesn’t have enough quality around him at the club.

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Edin Dzeko scored the only goal of the game to put the blue half of Manchester three points clear of their title rivals, but in the dying moments of the game Maynor Figueroa handled the ball when acting as the last man, but referee Martin Atkinson did not believe the action deserved a sending off.

After seeing the handball, Mancini made a similar gesture to Rooney did when Vincent Kompany was sent off for a foul on Nani in the FA Cup third round game, while the Italian manager also appeared to be demanding the sending off of Martin Skrtel during his side's 3-0 victory over Liverpool. Rooney wrote on Twitter during the game: "Was manchini (sic) asking for a red card????"

Mancini defended his actions after the final whistle, insisting it is acceptable for an incident such as the defender’s handball. "I did it because Wayne Rooney did it," Mancini told reporters after the game. "It's normal with a chance like that to do it.

"I am on the bench. When you are near to the referee you can have more of an influence. "I am on the bench and the referee cannot see me. I used to do this [as a player], but I don't want to say anything about that situation."

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PAUL Scholes’ first Old Trafford goal for almost two years set Manchester United up for a valuable Premier League win over Bolton.

On only his second appearance since his retirement U-turn, the 37-year-old tapped home Wayne Rooney’s cross-shot at the far-post in first-half stoppage time to give the hosts a priceless lead after Rooney had seen his penalty saved by Adam Bogdan.After a frustrating second-half, Danny Welbeck and Michael Carrick eventually sealed victory late on, ensuring United now only trail neighbours Manchester City, who do not play until tomorrow night, on goal difference.

After Thierry Henry’s match- winning effort for Arsenal on Monday, it was perhaps destined that Scholes would come up with something special once he was confirmed as a member of the United starting line-up.

Had referee Peter Walton not been feeling charitable, it could easily have been a red card for Scholes, his thigh-high assault on Mark Davies was pretty poor in a week when refereeing inconsistencies within the English game have been a talking point.

However, after a couple of cracking long-range shots, Scholes saved the drama until first-half stoppage time. Having peeled away to the far post, he was perfectly placed to turn home a Rooney cross-shot, which Welbeck had failed to get a touch to.

It was the 151st United goal of Scholes’ career, and his first since August 2010, meaning he has equalled last season’s tally in just two appearances after abandoning his job coaching the club’s reserve team.

It was tough luck on the visitors, particularly their goalkeeper Bogdan, who had denied Rooney from the spot after Zac Knight’s push on Wellbeck.Bolton wasted an excellent opportunity to equalise straight after the restart when United’s defence, not for the first time, got themselves into a tangle, which allowed Davies to race into the area.

He found David Ngog but, with an unmarked Martin Petrov, screaming for a lay-off, the former Liverpool man scooped his shot high over the bar. This was a warning for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men, although there was no immediate end to the chances being wasted.

United’s second arrived 15 minutes from time, with Welbeck prodding his eighth goal of the season beyond Bogdan after reaching Rooney’s lay-off ahead of Sam Ricketts. The striker took a kick on the back of the leg for his pains, though, and had to be replaced by Javier Hernandez.

But it failed to interrupt the hosts’ momentum and, after striding on to Ryan Giggs’ square pass, Carrick curled a superb left-footed shot past Bogdan from 25 yards.

After successive defeats, it was just what United needed as ahead of a tough sequence of fixtures, starting at Arsenal next weekend, which are likely to determine their chances of retaining the title.

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Numerous reports have linked Alan Pardew's Magpies with the youngster, who is expected to leave Old Trafford following a string of off-the-pitch problems. Newcastle's offer for the 18-year-old midfielder is thought to be in the region of £500,000 but it is apparently short of the Red Devils' valuation.

Morrison is yet to play in the Premier League but has racked up three League Cup appearances since turning pro in February 2010. Last year he was given a 12-month referral order and forced to pay costs and compensation after being found guilty of witness harassment.

The midfielder is thought to be well regarded by United coaches, however, and scored twice when the club's youngsters won the FA Youth Cup in 2011. Newcastle are currently short of attacking options due to Demba Ba's involvement with the Africa Cup of Nations and injuries to Sammy Ameobi and Nile Ranger.

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The 30-year-old has been praised by manager Sir Alex Ferguson for his performances this season but has not featured in a Three Lions shirt since a friendly against Mexico before World Cup 2010. Speaking to the club’s official website, Carrick said of this summer’s tournament: “To be honest, it's not something I’ve thought about.

“I'm just concentrating on playing here and playing well. Whatever happens, happens. “I haven’t been involved in the last few squads so I’m just concentrating on doing well here.”The former West Ham man does not feel that his game has changed particularly in the current campaign despite earning plenty of plaudits for his showings in a red shirt, suggesting that, at 30, he is no longer seen as a player who needs to prove himself. “I haven’t changed as a player,” Carrick argued.

“But maybe as you get older and gain more experience, that brings more responsibility. You're looked at slightly differently and that's fine, I’m comfortable with that. “[This is] the way I’ve always played. I'm not going to change because situations change. You’ve got to do what you’re good at and keep improving.

“I enjoy the responsibility and, as you get older, maybe the younger players look at you in a different way. I’m comfortable with that.”The central midfielder, who has been forced to fill in at centre-back at times due to a number of injuries at Old Trafford, has made 19 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils so far in 2011-12.

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MANCHESTER UNITED will be given an allocation of more than 6,000 tickets when they visit Anfield for their FA Cup clash with Liverpool later this month. Alex Ferguson’s men travel to Merseyside on the weekend of 28/29 January for what is sure to be a fiercely-contested fourth-round fixture, with relations between the two clubs fractured by the fallout from Reds striker Luis Suarez’s FA charge.

But having cut United’s allocation to less than 2,000 tickets for October’s Premier League clash, Liverpool will now be forced to treble it for the cup clash, after Liverpool City Council performed a surprise U-turn.

The council had acted upon complaints that United fans blocked aisles when visiting Anfield previously, causing serious safety concerns. Subsquently, they slashed United’s allocation for October’s 1-1 draw, issuing just 1,960 tickets instead of the 3,000 allowed for previous fixtures. But officials have now deemed that improved behaviour by travelling supporters during that meeting meant no such recommendation would be made this time around.

And with FA Cup rules stating that away clubs are entitled to 15 per cent of the host venue’s capacity, it means that United could bring as many as 6,500 supporters to Merseyside to supplement what is already a potentially powderkeg atmosphere. Liverpool remain unhappy with the eight-game ban given to Suarez for abusing United defender Patrice Evra back in October.

The Uruguyan will be suspended for the clash, but the FA is expected to contact both clubs ahead of the game to remind them of their responsibilities No kick-off time has been set for the fixture, it is understood, however, that a noon or early-afternoon kick-off will be recommended by police and council chiefs.

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