Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson expects title race to go down to ‘the wire’

Posted Monday, March 19, 2012 by Goal.com

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted he expects this season’s title race to go right down "to the wire", despite his side opening up a four point gap at the top of the Premier League.

The Red Devils romped to a 5-0 victory over Wolves on Sunday, which saw the champions extend their lead over second-placed rivals Manchester City, who play Chelsea on Wednesday evening.

With a derby clash between the two sides scheduled for April 30 at Eastlands, Ferguson is expecting this season’s battle for top spot to go to the very end of the campaign.

"I expect it to go to the wire, always hope for the best and expect the worst," he told Sky Sports.

"There are only nine games left now, it is just a matter of games getting cut off one by one and hopefully we achieve what we want to achieve.

"What's significant today is it's reduced the goal difference by five goals and that's down to three now and it may make a difference at the end of the season."

The 70-year-old was also relieved to have picked up all three points from Molineux, a ground where his side have struggled in recent visits having lost two out of there last three games there.

"Absolutely, the last three visits we have lost twice, and that is a great turnaround for us," he said.

But, despite the impressive score-line, the United boss insisted that his side were not at their best.

"It [the performance] was okay, I don't think it was anything special," he added.

"I think as you always find here Wolves make it difficult for you, it was an okay performance.

"It's difficult for them with ten men, they were honest and committed and kept plugging away but the 3-0 advantage was too much for them."

Ferguson also hailed the performance of Antonio Valencia, with the wideman grabbing United’s second goal of the afternoon before creating goals for Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.

"The finish from Antonio Valencia for the second was fantastic," he said.

"Antonio is back in the team and his form was fantastic today.

"He's made one for Danny Welbeck before half-time that killed the match."