how pleased I am to see Sir Alex realise we're on top!

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Man Utd fear Chelsea not Arsenal


Man Utd v Arsenal
Carling Cup quarter-final
Old Trafford
Kick-off 1945 GMT
Man Utd v Arsenal
Wenger backs young guns
Sir Alex Ferguson claims Chelsea are now a bigger concern to Manchester
United than long-time rivals Arsenal.

Ferguson delivered his verdict ahead of the Carling Cup quarter-final
against the Gunners at Old Trafford.

United and Arsenal were paired together shortly after a fiery clash at Old
Trafford in October which led to the Football Association calling for calm.

He said: "Chelsea are everybody's concern right now. It's a mammoth task
to catch them in the Premiership now."

Ferguson added: "They're playing really well, they're five points clear of
Arsenal and nine clear of us.

"They will have a blip. It is just a question of how they handle it when
it happens. We had our blip earlier in the season and now we've found a
road to recovery.

"Sometimes it's hard, but you just have to make sure you fight your way
through it. We had players out earlier in the season. But we just had to
make sure we kept our heads up, which we did."

Ferguson admits he saw the irony when United and Arsenal were drawn
together in the cup.

He told MUTV: "I had to laugh. I think there was smoke coming out of the
ears of some people at the FA. They must have thought 'anything but that'.
"But we will just go and play our football and, we hope, get a result."

The two sides have share some highly-charged games in recent years, with
little love lost between the two sides.

Ferguson expects another competitive encounter in the quarter-final on
Wednesday.

The United boss and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will both continue their
policy of fielding fringe players in the Cup.

But Ferguson said: "It is the quarter-finals of the League Cup, so you can
expect a competitive game. It doesn't matter who you play against.

"It's a chance to get into the semi-final and everyone wants to get there."

Ferguson admitted he knew little of the Arsenal team who have got the club
to the last eight.

"I only know one or two of them but they have had impressive results
against Everton and Man City," he said.


Interesting to see if Ferguson plays mainly experienced reserves like
O'Shea or if he throws youngsters in like Rossi

From RR
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"It will be a game of high-quality and I am looking forward to it."

United may partner Alan Smith with 17-year-old Guiseppe Rossi up front.

"We have been impressed with Rossi in all his games for the club. We are
very pleased with him," the United manager said of the teenager, who
arrived from Parma in the summer.

--
The Brazilian Man