Not in the Premier League because they only have to beat a useless West Ham side (one that owes United a favour from the end of last season) and a woeful Wigan outfit who will have nothing to play for by then, to clinch the title.

But it's been a myth for a while now that United are the great entertainers. They have a genius in Cristiano Ronaldo, but for a large majority of the season they have relied just as much on a formidable central defensive partnership to see them to victory.

Wayne Rooney is a foul-mouthed fouling machine who plays well now and again, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are fading rapidly and Carlos Tevez looks knackered. Nani and Anderson are works in progress, while the likes of Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves are good honest professionals with little flair.

Fatigue caught up with United in the Champions League when faced with AC Milan at this stage last season and it could be about to happen again, if not tonight then in the final.

I'm sure Sir Alex Ferguson knows it. His side have been as negative as Chelsea away from home in Europe this season (Rooney on the wing?

What's all that about?) maybe in a vain attempt to preserve energy.

United were worse than hopeless in Barcelona last week. If Ronaldo doesn't perform tonight they could well be knocked out.

As for the title of top entertainers in the country. That's Arsenal by a country mile.



FERGUSON is also showing signs of cracking up. His rant, and that of his coach Carlos Quieroz, at the assistant referee for daring to award the most blatant of penalties for Chelsea on Saturday was just bizarre.

Maybe it was an attempt to deflect attention from the fact that the manager had been caught out fielding a weakened side against their only title rivals.

If United should slip up in their final two games their fans should remember the day their manager left out the best player in the world to try and grab a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge.

Ronaldo is 23 and an athlete at the peak of his powers. He can play three times in a week and if he needs a rest let him have it against the unhappy Hammers.



THE World Snooker Championships are worth watching for just three reasons.

1) To see if local lad Joe Perry can win the title.

In fact I lied because that's the only reason and as it's about as likely as Steve Davis saying something interesting, the blanket coverage on the beeb is a total bore for me.

Indeed the only amusement to be had is waiting in eager anticipation for Ronnie O'Sullivan to become so bored with the fact that he is sooooo much more talented than anyone else, that he either plays every shot left-handed, or he suffers one of his mental collapses.

At least O'Sullivan's breakdowns are spectacular, most of the other players could give golfer Colin Montgomery a run for his money in an extreme excuse-making competition.

This year's favourite excuse is bouncy cushions which would surely be negated by softer shots, but at least it makes a change from blaming every single miscue on one of those mysterious 'kicks'.

Sport should be about adapting to different conditions. Footballers have to play in the rain, cricketers play under cloud cover, even speedway riders perform on vastly contrasting tracks.

Maybe the moaners, led by deposed world champion John Higgins, should realise that it's the boring predictability of snooker and the lack of personalities in the game that have made it such a turn off.