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Runaway Reds Rivals almost ready to concede title to Manchester United
LONDON (AP) -- Even with five months still to go, Manchester United's rivals are virtually handing the Reds their seventh Premier League title in nine seasons. Alex Ferguson's team went 11 points clear just a day into 2001 and the defending titlists show no sign of weakening. The Premier League goes on hold for a week as the big clubs take part in the third round of the FA Cup. That means United can reflect on its position and sit on its huge lead which followed a one-sided 3-1 victory over West Ham on Monday the day its big rivals fell further behind. The sight of Arsenal tied with Sunderland and 11 points behind Manchester United might imply that the Gunners are down in sixth or seventh place. But Arsene Wenger's team is second and likely to go no higher after Monday's tame 1-0 loss at modest Charlton. Ferguson's team now has 50 points from its 22 games with the Gunners and third place Sunderland tied on 39. "At the moment I'm not concerned about United," Wenger said after the loss at Charlton meant Arsenal had lost for the fourth time in five away games. "Rather than looking up at them we have to look at the teams behind us. We have to be realistic," the Frenchman said. "You can dream about how good you are but the tables tell the truth. The table tells us that the teams behind us are closer than the one in front of us. That is the main danger to us, not where the dream is." The escape clause for Wenger and his team is that second place guarantees a place in next season's Champions League. But it doesn't bring the title. While Wenger is worried about the teams chasing the Gunners, Ferguson is confident his team will go from strength to strength. "We're better placed than I thought we'd be," said Ferguson whose team was second to Leeds United this time last year with Arsenal back in third. "Normally we're up there but not quite in the lead. But, if we let it slip now, it would be embarrassing for us. "I expect us to maintain our form in the second half of the season and now we're going to have a right go at the FA Cup as well." United controversially skipped the FA Cup last season to take part in the inaugural FIFA World Club Championship in Brazil. But it is back this term and faces runaway division one leader Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday. "The job for us now is to make sure we focus on every game. We won't take our foot off the pedal," Ferguson said. "We'll be trying as hard as we can in every game and, hopefully, that will see us through." The sight of Manchester United and Arsenal at first and second is no surprise. But the presence of Sunderland at third, promoted Ipswich fourth and Leicester at sixth mean that there has been no big challenge from Liverpool, Leeds and Chelsea. Gerard Houllier's Liverpool has lost six games on the road and failed to find any consistency, floating between third and sixth and currently in fifth place. Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler, returning from long-term injuries, have failed to recapture their form of previous seasons although Houllier's team scored a 1-0 win at Old Trafford two weeks ago, ending Manchester United's two-year unbeaten streak at home in the league. Leeds United, a longtime leader last season, has been plagued by injuries to eight players and languishes down in 13th place after losing four times at home and winning just once on the road. Chelsea has been the most puzzling team of all, winning eight times and losing just once at home but failing to win in 10 away games. Claudio Reineri's team is ninth in the standings, 20 points behind Manchester United and with only an outside chance of claiming a Champions League place. Bobby Robson's Newcastle, which spent most of last season battling relegation, has climbed to seventh but West Ham and Aston Villa have shown few title ambitions. Likewise Tottenham, unbeaten at home but without an away win, isn't likely to finish higher than halfway and, at 14th out of the 20 teams, is sliding dangerously close to the relegation zone. Glenn Hoddle's Southampton looked one of the leading candidates for the drop at the start of the season but is handily placed at 12th, despite winning just once away from home. Down at the bottom, Bradford is five points adrift despite a 2-1 win at Leicester on Monday. The Bantams only just avoided relegation last term and look doomed this term. Manchester City and Middlesbrough are also in the relegation zone but have the players to pull them clear and that puts pressure on Coventry, Everton and Derby.
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