LET BATTLE COMMENCE
Fergie says that Arsenal have learnt some manners but United were there first
"I think they were taught some manners last year.
"In fairness to them this season, there has not been any crowing from there. They have gone about their job and focused on playing rather than talking.
"I don't envy anyone building a bit of history
because this club has created its own. We've been first to many things - the first English team into the European Cup, the first English team to win it, the first to get the treble. It's up to Arsenal to create their own history, like my team.'The points they are ahead of us tells you they are the better team, had a better season than us, and I think they were taught some manners last year. This season there has not been any crowing from them, they have gone about their jobs focused on playing.
"The one thing that has helped them this season - the same as us in '99 - is no injuries.
"We went through the second half of that season with Roy Keane missing one game and we went to the European Cup Final with Henning Berg as the only player injured. The only player Arsenal have had injured is Ljungberg and that's the kind of luck you need.
"'What we have achieved at this club has been fantastic and I hope the players are disappointed by this season. The players judge themselves on their own performances, not on what others are doing, and it is up to us to do something about it. What they really want to do now is win the Cup.
"I don't accept we have been the architects of our own misfortune. In some ways it has been down to the disappointment of Rio's [Ferdinand] suspension. The minute he walked off at Wolverhampton we were four points clear of Arsenal. Since then, we have not had a regular back four and I think that has created the 12 points.'
As regards this being a rehearsal for next week Fergie says:
"I don’t have a team. I’ve no bloody idea. I’ve got that many players training with injuries and I’ve had seven playing with injuries.
"The thing about this game is that it could have a bearing on Saturday. This game is about credentials rather than form and if we can reach the position of our own expectations then Saturday’s game could be very interesting."