Lose and Fergie’s won the title

LONDON: Harry Redknapp reckons Manchester United will run away with the title unless his Tottenham team beat them today.

Spurs’ boss raised the stakes ahead of the mega clash by declaring they have to end Alex Ferguson’s unbeaten run to keep the Premier League alive.

Victory for Wayne Rooney and company at White Hart Lane would put them 11 points clear of the fourth-placed Londoners with a game in hand.

Redknapp said: “It’s a game we need to win to close the gap on them. If they beat us they’ve run away with it really. You’re not going to claw back that lead.

“I think all those at the top will be hoping we can pull off the result, close the gap and keep everyone involved.

“If Tottenham want to win the league, we have to beat United.

“They keep winning but haven’t hit the heights this season.

“Sooner or later they will hit top form and then everyone will find themselves in trouble.

“But we have no reason to fear anyone.”

Redknapp caused a stir in his SunSport column on Friday, when he stated that United are not good enough to stay unbeaten for the entire campaign.

United manager Ferguson hit back, saying: “There will be a blip and how you handle that blip is important.

“Just as long as the blip is not on Sunday, if you can tell Harry that!”

Ferguson will welcome back Rooney from the ankle injury that forced him to miss two matches, while Welsh midfielder Ryan Giggs will reach 600 league appearances for United if he features.

Giggs may not embark on so many jinking runs through opposition defences these days, but his composure and craft on the ball have kept him firmly in Ferguson’s plans at a time when many of his peers have already retired.

The 37-year-old – the most decorated player in English football history with 11 league titles – attributes his remarkable fitness to regular yoga sessions and Ferguson said: “Ryan is an incredible human being.

“He defies the logic of forwards when he plays at the level he did last Sunday against Liverpool.

“Obviously we know how to manage him. He doesn’t play every week but he makes a contribution that lifts the team. He did that in the second half last week.

“His fitness was fantastic. He kept going for the whole 90 minutes. He has been doing that for two decades.

“No other player has ever done that – or is ever likely to. He is quite an amazing man.”