Even before the match at St Mary's, it was already a temptation for Manchester United players to listen to the noises all around them and to start believing something decisive was taking place. All week the talk in the media, among the fans and probably even at opposition clubs is that United won’t lose the title now, not with a nine-point lead.
And that was before the defeat for Manchester City at Southampton, with United now having the opportunity to go 12 points clear. I’m usually the most cautious when it comes to predicting outcomes with so much of the season left to go. But even I struggle now to see how this season could end up with anything but a United title win.
Because it is not just that United can go so far clear at the top, it is that City’s performances seem to be lacking in the energy that drove them to the title last season. Yes, there were some freakish individual errors by Gareth Barry and Joe Hart. But it is that lack of drive and power in their play that suggests they will struggle to keep up now.
Costly error: Joe Hart is powerless to prevent Steven Davis steering the ball home after spilling a shot from Rickie Lambert
However, if you were a United player, all these thoughts need to be banished from your mind. All you will be hearing constantly from fans and from people you meet now is: ‘You’ll win it now. The title is United’s.’
But the minute you hear that, you have to get it out of your mind immediately. You don’t let that thought register at all. You have to discipline yourself to ignore it, to let it go in one ear and out the other. Which is why the match against Everton comes at such a good time for United. If ever there were a moment to take stock, this game is it.
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For Manchester United that means a game like the 1-1 draw at West Ham in 1995 on the last day of the season, which allowed Blackburn to win the league; the defeats at home by Nottingham Forest and away by West Ham in 1992, which meant Leeds won the league; the Marc Overmars goal in 1998 at Old Trafford that tipped the balance of the title Arsenal’s way and the Sylvain Wiltord goal in 2002 that saw Arsenal crowned champions.
And to that list you could add Everton at home last season on April 22, 2012. United were 4-2 up with eight minutes to play at home, a result that would have seen them maintain a five-point lead that weekend over Manchester City in the title race with just three games to go. Of course, Everton scored two late goals and Manchester City then beat United the following week to go top on goal difference, a lead they maintained to win the title.
If you needed a sobering warning after the intoxication of a good week, walking out at Old Trafford in a repeat of that fixture should provide it. And that’s why, despite the excitement of a tie against Real Madrid this week, it is the domestic business of a home game against Everton that will be uppermost in the players’ minds. Because Real Madrid is a dream. It is one of the outstanding ties in football, a game that every football fan around the world would want to watch between two of the biggest clubs in the world.
Beyond belief: Ferdinand and De Gea are stunned by Pienaar's late leveller last April (above) while Rafael Da Silva and Paul Scholes (below) can't believe it, either
But while winning the Champions League is something United would desperately want to do this year, winning the league is something they have to do.
Don’t get me wrong, the tie against Real Madrid on Wednesday is one that has me excited already. It is a privilege to be going out there and watching it. I played in the Santiago Bernebeu Stadium three times — twice for United and once for England — and it is a truly imposing place. United have never won there, although they did record a 3-3 draw there in the 1968 European Cup semi-final, knocking them out before winning the trophy at Wembley. And although I felt I played quite well in 2000 when United drew 0-0 there before losing the return leg, the game in 2003 was a different experience. I remember they soaked the pitch through just before kick-off — of course they had left it dry for training the day before — and it was as fast as lightning, as quick as any pitch I’ve played on.
And I have to say, it caught me out. I just remember in the first half thinking: ‘I’m not in control here.’ There were people running in behind my left shoulder, my right shoulder and people dropping in off in space behind me. Every defender has that moment in his career when you feel like you’re playing against 14 men and you can’t slow the game down in your mind.
Destroyers: Luis Figo (left) and Raul Gonzalez (right) scored against Manchester United in that fateful 2003 Champions League first-leg clash in the BernabeuAnd my mind was racing, which isn’t good a defender. You’re always trying to slow movements down in your mind, to anticipate and intercept. But that night I had Roberto Carlos flying past me with Raul, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo to contend with as well. We lost 3-1 and went out despite winning the return leg 4-3.
That night I was out of control, something that only happened a few times as a United player: against Juventus in 1996 when we played them away, the best European team I ever faced; against Arsenal at their peak with Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Ashley Cole combining; and that night in Madrid.
Given the run-around: Brazilian Ronaldo (right) beats Rio FerdinandI don't think this Madrid team are as good as their 2000 and 2003 teams. The 2000 team won the Champions League and although the 2003 team didn't, they were the Galactico team and one of the great sides.
The current side have fallen away from their high standards of last season and there is uncertainty over the harmony of the dressing room.
Their situation is the reverse of United's: they can't win the league, so they have to win the Champions League to salvage the season.
Ready for battle again: Sir Alex Ferguson will take on Jose Mourinho and Real MadridBut United are more than capable of going to that stadium and handling the ball with as much confidence as their opponents.
They have risen to the occasion in big games this season against Liverpool, Arsenal, City and Chelsea and can do so again.
And while the Champions League has always been enormously important to United over the last 20 years, the priority has always been to make sure your bed is made properly at home.
Sir Alex Ferguson and United very rarely make the same mistake twice.
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