Sir Alex Ferguson last night said the title-race could still go to the final day of the season despite Manchester United having opened a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League. United are only two wins away from a 17th English league championship, which could be achieved at Stamford Bridge on April 26 should United beat Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. But Ferguson is refusing to look that far ahead.
"We have difficult games and for the clubs we are facing there is a lot to play for, so we cannot take anything for granted," he said. "It's been a really competitive league this season, we've lost four games, twice to Manchester City, once at Bolton and once at West Ham, as have Chelsea and Liverpool, and Arsenal have lost only three. It could still go to the wire."
However, Ferguson said his side were in a "good position", especially after Chelsea's draw against Wigan on Monday, which he described as a "bonus result". United also have a significantly better goal difference than Chelsea.
"Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez have 72 goals between them, which is a great return for three players and shows the emphasis we put on attacking play," said Ferguson, who was in London to present Denis Law with a Nationwide Lifetime Achievement Award. "We now have to do our job and the squad is capable of that, they showed that last season when we had a lot of injuries and went 2-0 down at Everton but still came back to win 4-2. If that is not a test, nothing is."
Yesterday Real Madrid made their interest in Ronaldo public, although United remain unconcerned. Real's sporting director, Predrag Mijatovic, said: "We want Cristiano Ronaldo to be the face of the new Real Madrid."
As well as being prolific scorers United are also strong at the back and keen to see that continue, the club yesterday moved a step closer to agreeing a new five-year-old contract with Rio Ferdinand.
Aldershot Town, the club formed in April 1992 months after Aldershot FC went out of business, reached the Football League last night when a 1-1 draw at Exeter City saw them promoted from the Blue Square Premier League.
