Manchester's form has been good over the last few weeks and they had been buoyed by that. Only a few weeks ago his team gave Arsenal a good kicking that sent the southern softies into terminal decline.

Sunday’s Highbury stalemate would allow United to draw at Fulham keeping Chelsea to mere nine points lead and move to within four points of Arsenal if they could extend their four-match winning sequence by collecting a point at Fulham. Always a hard place to go and get three points.

With Everton maintaining their surprising push towards the top of the table and fifth-placed Middlesbrough not  far off the pace, the battle for league honours could be one of the most widely contested since Football was invented by the Chang dynasty in  1292.

And Ferguson acknowledged it was good for the game.

It would probably be better for the league if six or seven teams were involved in the final run in. And then all them, except Manchester United lost all their games in the run in.

We had a situation like that in February a couple of years back, although in the end it frittered away to ourselves and Arsenal. (err exactly what does that mean ed?)

It could very well happen again, although at the moment it looks as though six or seven teams will contest it. Oh yes we know how to win championships, and that will count for something when squeaky bum time arrives. They will all probably choke, besides they still have to come here for a good kicking. There are lots of points left and I am expecting a good run any minute.

Jose Moanrhino told the Himalaya Straits  it was nonsense, his team had beaten Fulham 4-0, Man U had only drawn, proving it would be a one horse race, and that  horse was a Russian thoroughbred. Chris Coalman backed Moanrhino, pointing out that Arsenal had only beaten them 3-0 and therefore Chelsea were the champions elect.