MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) – Playing at Wembley is emotionally draining but not as physically tiring as it once was, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said before today’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City.
Ferguson takes his side on a 400-mile (640-kilometre) round trip to the British capital to play their city neighbours from down the road as they continue their pursuit of three trophies, buoyed by a run of seven successive wins in all competitions.
“There’s a momentum we’ve got at the moment, we’re winning games,” Ferguson told a news conference on Friday.
“That’s important at this time of the season, the consistency of the team has been good. We’ve got a determination in our players, I’m really pleased with that. It’s given us a good chance.”
Bolton, another team from the northwest, and Stoke City, based 45 miles south of Manchester, must also travel to Wembley for tomorrow’s semi-final, something which has caused much media debate. Chasing the Champions League and Premier League titles as well gives United plenty to think about and when asked whether a trip to Wembley was draining for the players, Ferguson replied: “It can be.
“There is that impact in terms of the emotional build-up to the game. The fact it is at Wembley makes it more of an occasion, simply because it’s Wembley — the name Wembley.”
Despite the travelling involved, there was at least one concession about playing at Wembley these days.
“I wouldn’t think the pitch is as tiring as the old Wembley because they have changed it so many times,” said Ferguson, who has a strong squad to pick from with the suspended Wayne Rooney and injured Darren Fletcher the only major absentees.
The two Manchester sides have not met in the FA Cup semi-finals since 1926 and the city is buzzing with an air of excitement as fans make plans for a weekend in London and the chance to get one over their neighbours.
United midfielder Paul Scholes added fuel to the rivalry, telling local media that because City were fourth in the league they could not be classed as a “main rival”.
He added that he was not sure if Roberto Mancini’s side had the same self belief as United despite their big spending ways.
“With them getting the money, it has probably helped us and spurred us on a bit more when we have played them,” Scholes said, pointing out that City had beaten United only once since being taken over by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in 2008.
“We have nicked the games with goals in the last minutes. I’ve done it, Michael Owen’s done it and Wayne Rooney did it last season. That’s maybe the difference between the two teams.”
