Manchester United can effectively wrap up a third consecutive English Premier League title by beating Liverpool in today’s eagerly anticipated lunchtime clash at Old Trafford.
Victory would send the Red Devils 10 points clear of both Liverpool and Chelsea and it is inconceivable that Sir Alex Ferguson’s men would let that kind of advantage slip over the course of their 10 remaining fixtures.
Even if Liverpool can perform as vibrantly as they did in Tuesday night’s 4-0 hammering of Real Madrid and secure all three points, United would remain short-odds favorites to bounce back and win the league.
PHOTO: AP
But a Liverpool win would, at least, offer a glimmer of hope to both Rafael Benitez’s men and a revitalized Chelsea, who will be seeking to extend their unbeaten run under temporary manager Guus Hiddink to seven matches when Manchester City visit Stamford Bridge tomorrow.
The problem for the chasing pair is that United have yet to show anything approaching a whiff of a suggestion that they are about to start dropping points carelessly.
The high number of chances Inter managed to create at Old Trafford in midweek may have offered encouragement to Fernando Torres and his teammates, who emerged as winners when the two sides met at Anfield earlier in the season.
Since then however, United have slipped seamlessly through several changes of gear and they will approach today’s match seeking a 12th consecutive win in the league.
Wayne Rooney believes the pressure on Liverpool to get all three points will ensure an open game, to United’s benefit.
“I think coming to Old Trafford, it will be a difficult game for them,” the England striker said. “They know they need to win, they need the three points. I’m sure they will be up for it and we certainly will be, but they know if we beat them it will probably end their chances of winning the league.”
Both sides will be close to full strength, although Liverpool will have the advantage of 24 hours additional recovery time from their midweek exertions.
The recovery factor could be an issue for Arsenal, who only arrived back in England in the small hours of Thursday morning following their wearying penalty shoot-out victory over Roma.
Arsene Wenger will be relieved today’s fixture is at the Emirates, but the visit of a Blackburn Rovers side that is both desperate for points and on a bit of a run will not be one the Gunners boss anticipates with great relish.
Blackburn are looking significantly better organized under Sam Allardyce and, after taking seven points from their last three matches, have escaped from the drop zone.
Arsenal are unbeaten in 18 matches, but they still have a three-point deficit to make up on Aston Villa, their rivals for the fourth Champions League qualifying spot.
Wenger remains confident that the gap can be bridged and was bolstered in his optimism by the nature of Wednesday night’s victory.
“We showed tremendous mental strength in Rome and that makes me so proud, because it is a quality that has been questioned this season. It will give us more confidence,” Wenger said.
Villa, who have not played since March 4, have to wait until tomorrow, when they entertain Tottenham Hotspur, to see if their sunshine break in Dubai has had the hoped-for rejuvenating effect.
Martin O’Neill’s side have taken just one point from their last three league matches, while Tottenham will be desperate to keep their heads above the relegation quagmire.
Today could be a hugely significant day in the battle for survival, with Newcastle United traveling to Hull City and Middlesbrough, currently second from bottom, entertaining the team immediately above them, Portsmouth.
Newcastle will be bolstered by the return of Michael Owen from his latest injury, an ankle problem that has kept him sidelined for the last six weeks.
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
Aaliyah Edwards on Monday pulled off the stunner of the opening round of the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament, beating top-seeded Breanna Stewart 12-0. The tournament to be played over three days featured 23 of the WNBA’s 36 players. A few had other commitments and a couple others were out with injuries. Stewart got the ball first against Edwards and missed a contested layup. Edwards then hit a three-pointer from the corner and a jumper from the elbow to go up 5-0. The player who scores keeps the basketball. Edwards hit two layups and a three-pointer to seal the win. Stewart, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player,
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38