PARTY POOPERS

Last updated : 19 April 2006 By Ed

The Times:

This time there will be no repeat of the guard of honour the Manchester United players were obliged to form for their Chelsea counterparts last season, but, for Sir Alex Ferguson's men, the notion of being guests at a title-winning party at Stamford Bridge on April 29 is no less distasteful.

"We are determined they will not be able to celebrate anything," Edwin van der Sar said.

Instead, United want to give Mourinho and his players food for thought. Winning ten and drawing one of their past 11 Premiership matches reinvigorated the title race, but it might take a victory over the champions-elect to cause Chelsea's players a little anxiety.

"We want to get a result, as much for our pride as anything," Mikaël Silvestre, the United defender, said.

More from Van der Sar:

"The feeling in the camp is that they cannot be celebrating after the game against us.

"We do not want to be part of that.

"We are playing well, especially away from home and there is a lot of spirit. We are positive about what we are doing and we can use it to give us a good feeling for next season.

"The key to it is starting better and not dropping as many points at home as we have done," said Van der Sar. "This season we have dropped too many.

"We are happy with the result against Tottenham. It was very important to win, more because of the result Liverpool got against Blackburn than the title. We have put six points between us and Liverpool."