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Sir Alex Ferguson: West Ham clash could be key to Manchester United season

Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United's treble quest could hinge on the outcome of Saturday's visit to West Ham.

Ferguson said earlier this week that emulating the heroes of 1999 would be far harder than completing the initial historic hat-trick was 12 years ago.

Although there are some formidable barriers in the way, including a two-legged Champions League quarter-final with title rivals Chelsea and an eagerly-awaited FA Cup semi-final against neighbours Manchester City, Ferguson's assessment is more to do with the injuries he has to contend with.

Despite a two-week international break, Ferguson is actually worse off defensively than he was for the win over Bolton a fortnight ago.

Whilst the return of skipper Nemanja Vidic is a huge boost, the suspension of Jonny Evans and injury to Wes Brown deny him any selection options.

With Brazilian youngster Fabio virtually certain to slot in at right-back, United head to Upton Park weakened.

It is hardly ideal as the Red Devils visit a ground where they have triumphed on only six of their last 17 visits.

No wonder Ferguson is attaching such significance to the fixture.

"The big one is tomorrow because we are depleted in one area of the pitch," said the United boss.

"With eight games to go, you can't exclude anyone. Whoever is the most consistent will win this league.

"But we should not over-stretch ourselves in terms of looking forward. This game is as important as any."

Ferguson's point became obvious as he reeled off his massive list of injury problems.

On the basis that Jonny Evans will be available for Wednesday's Champions League trip to Stamford Bridge even if United resist the temptation to push Rio Ferdinand back into action two months after he was forced to pull out of the defeat at Wolves with a calf injury, Ferguson will have more bodies in midweek.

"I thought the two-week break would bring a few of them on," said Ferguson.

"It has but not enough for them to play tomorrow.

"We are considerably short for the right-back position tomorrow. We have to solve that - and find the right solution."

What should United do? Have your say.

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Yep , I agree - this is a massive game for us.

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Lets not get carried away now. We are simply not good enough to win the treble with the squad we have. Its trash talk like this that has the tourist and day trippers coming in to OT like a tusnami of gibbering idiots.However a double will be surfice, for what will have to go down as an average season by our standards. Fishing rod at the ready and..................cast!!!

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Massive game...they ALL are from hereon in, unless Arsenal and Chelski decide to concede, which is unlikely and might also get them into trouble with the PL... sure it would be kind of frowned upon...Stoke might do us a favour tomorrow, particularly as some of the rent-boys will have Wednesday on their minds, but a 'bigSam less' Bburn will only get up for the United game, and may well concede 5 or more, damaging the old GD...no, only silver lining tomorrow is if we win and I think thats a tall order - our record there in the recent past is sh*te... but 1-0 88th minute Berba scuffed shot will do me for the rest of the season, the last few witnessed from the ICU hooked up to a monitor, of course...

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Win this and were in.8 point lead puts proper pressure on.

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Always been a tricky fixture at upton park. We should attack from the onset and give them less time on the ball.

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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This is a must win game. We have struggled at West Ham with mixed results over the last few seasons. The fact we seem to throw points away from home this season is also a worry. A draw is no good either, with Arsenal at home to Blackburn, which should be a home win, and Chelseas tougher match away to Stoke. Chelsea are in a good run of form again, and with Luiz in defence seem to have stopped leaking goals, so this is also winnable.
I think a close win 1-0, 2-1, to Utd, but the other two (Arsenal, Chelsea) will also win.

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Vidic back will make a big difference.

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Just saw the line up for the game and I see Gibson and Giggs included. Surely with Giggs and Gibson in the side we're not planning to win this game. What's up Sir?

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just seen the team another disaster selection from fergie kuz in goal gibson carrick niether put anything into this season and rooney up front on is todd spells big problems westham are in form green playing out of his skin, westham will go for this and this team wont cope got defeat written all over it, why doesnt fergie put is strongest team out then change it when he has bagged the goals, or why doesnt he just nip down to the bridge and give chelsea the title what a muppet selection park will be catching his timing and pace of the game carrick will be wasteful gibson will create nothing velencia will cross to mr nobody smalling will be heading it every where and no where kuz will punch it all over the place grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr fergie what are you doing

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sorry but i saw this coming 2nil down half time fergie sat on his bum doing nothing about it a disaster, when will he learn, its to late now to pull this around no matter what he does , no fairy tale comebacks a draw is no good so mad at fergie for is team selection how much do they pay him, the truth is the best team the best manager wins the prem and i think chelsea fit that bill united certainly dont to many mistakes bad management team selection just heard now he has taken evra off put hernandez on guy as lost t5he plot heaven help us if he picks this team against city and chelsea

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just watching second half dismal united are rubbish pathectic, dont deserve to win or draw this game, chelsea and city will murder us if we play like this,a great manager but makes horrendous mistakes nani and berba on the bench still please tell me why

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Well we are the way to getting what we deserve. Two nil down and showing no sign of a recovery. Poor team, below average performance for most of the season and then we show up against the bottom team of the league with the likes of Gibson and Giggs and with Park making a return after four months or so. SAF has simply lost the plot. His selection in today's fixtures proves that he thinks we have a chance of progressing in the Champions League which is a delusion given the level of opposition. So keep Nani rested for Wednesday and Berbatov on the bench as if the PL title is already won. What infuriates most of us decent, down to earth ManUtd fans is that we have been squandering money on incompetent players whereas all our competitors keep building up their squads. Well we will win zero this year and that should be a bitter lesson for all those who take decisions about transfers and supposedly plan ahead for the future. I will reiterate what so many fellow United fans have been saying throughout the season. This is the worse United squad since we won the PL after that long 26-year drought, back in 1993. So yes, let us carry on with Giggs, Scholes and other long-past it players who have simply outserved their usefulness. But then again how could things be any different when the man who takes decisions and who prides himself as a manager with foresight fails to see any inadequacies in the present squad? End of the line for us i am afraid.
Charliebest

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If we all can see that why can'y SAF ?

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unbelievable refereeing decisions make u think that this league is fixed

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We did it and we did it in style ! Manchester United style ! WINNING

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