Manchester United draws first blood; mercurial Zidane to coach?

Man U's Cristiano Ronaldo helped kick the Reds past Chelsea in the EPL finale. Getty Images The Limey's Mailbag Keep the banter flowing to The Limey. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

First Blood to Manchester United, as goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs made them the John Rambo to Chelsea's bumbling small town sheriff in last Sunday's EPL finale. At the moment it's anyone's guess who'll play the muscle-bound Vietnam veteran, and who'll be the hapless Vietnamese soldiers in next week's sequel.

United approach next week's blockbuster with momentum having secured the EPL title. After lifting the trophy, the Reds celebrated wildly, spraying and quaffing champagne in the case of the players; jumping around deliriously like an embarrassing granddad in the case of Sir Alex Ferguson. Chelsea goes into the match with determination not to end the season trophyless by winning the Champions League trophy for the first time in their history, and with revenge in mind to get one over on its northwest England rivals.

In the EPL's final round of matches on Sunday, England's pie capital, Wigan, played host to champions-elect United. Midway through the second half, fingernails, as well as steak and kidney pies, were being consumed, after Chelsea's forgotten man Andriy Shevchenko scored in the 62nd minute of Chelsea's home tie against Bolton Wanderers to mean that a goal for Wigan would have sent the title in Chelsea's direction.

United's nerves were settled, and Chelsea's title hopes all but ended, when the record breaking Ryan Giggs scored in the 80th minute. The Welshman has won a record breaking 10 league titles, is one game away from breaking Sir Bobby Charlton's 758 United appearances record, but is yet to collect the trophy Team Limey awarded him for his record as the hairiest ever player in EPL history.

After Bolton's Matthew Taylor scored in injury time to draw 1-1 at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's attention quickly shifted from losing out on the EPL to worry over the fitness of inured pair John Terry and Didier Drogba ahead of next week's showpiece in Moscow.

During the Bolton game, skipper John Terry dislocated his elbow in a clash with Petr Cech, and Didier Drogba took a blow to the same knee that was operated on earlier this season. Hardman John Terry was taken straight to hospital following his injury, but returned to Stamford Bridge sporting a sling and a rather fetching pair of Chelsea branded flip-flops. Talking after the game he was characteristically blasé about his dislocated elbow, which he said was "popped back in" in the ambulance on the way to hospital, and is confident that he will have no problems being fit for Moscow. Drogba was adamant that nothing would stop him playing, "No-one wants to miss this gigantic match, the match of our careers."

Terry and Drogba are vital to Chelsea's chances in Moscow. Chelsea are inconsistent at the back without Terry, and Chelsea fans will not want to go into the biggest game in their history with the likes of Alex or Tal Ben-Haim tasked with shackling United's attacking machine of Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.

Ferguson cites the mix of youth and the experience of old hands Giggs, Scholes and van der Sar as the key to the development and success of his EPL winning side, and has gone as far as suggesting they could be the best he's had in 22 years as United manager. "If we win the European Cup I think you would have to put this group of players right at the very top of those I have worked with," Ferguson says.

If Chelsea is without one of key men Terry or Drogba our money is on a United side which is virtually at full strength for the final. If both are fit, what's being billed as the biggest ever game for English club football is too close to call.