PRESS BOX VIEW – TIMES

‘As grand an edifice as Old Trafford is, it seems that the stadium has been enveloped in a permanent fog of resentment since the day Roman Abramovich flew over the capital in his helicopter and decided to turn Chelsea, not Fulham, into the Manchester United of the South. But here were two shafts of light to pierce the gloom, one provided by dry statistics and one, far more eloquently, by a rival manager.

First the figures, which confirm that, contrary to most critics’ perception, United have hardly let their standards slip. After 25 games they have amassed 51 points — more than they had at the same stage in five of the eight seasons in which they went on to claim the Premiership title. It is Chelsea who have raised the bar, not United who have fallen short.

But after a vibrant match on Saturday, to which his side contributed splendidly, spiritedly, without reward, it took Chris Coleman to encapsulate why, though Chelsea may have taken United’s championship, all the money in the Russian’s vault cannot yet buy their cachet. According to the Fulham manager, United’s heritage remains far more appealing than the champions under the Russian’s patronage. His words may even strike a chord at Stamford Bridge.

“United are prepared to play two v two at the back, they send both full backs on. They haven’t got set positions — the midfield boys are rotating and they are very difficult to play against. Any team that attacks as much as them, of course you’ve got a chance,” Coleman said.

“Chelsea are the best team at the moment, the most efficient team. But United have to play a certain way because they’ve always played a certain way. It’s exciting football, attacking football. That’s why everybody wants to watch them. Chelsea are built differently. They go 1-0 up, they’re happy. They shut up shop. But United are not allowed to play like that.

“When I saw Wayne Rooney wasn’t playing, I thought great. Then I saw who was playing and I thought, does it matter? Saha, Van Nistelrooy, Park, Richardson, Ronaldo they’re built to attack. I like watching Chelsea because I see the way they work and it’s nice to watch. [But] United are set up to attack, and on their day they’re a bloody hard team to play against.”