United “gaffer” Sir Alex Ferguson has tried to ease the pressure and expectations on his squad to match the the squad that won the Premiership, FA cup and Champions League in 1999,
“We have done well and the players are playing with a great deal of confidence,” Ferguson told Sky Sports News.
“They are showing a lot of maturity they are growing up together which you always hope to get when a new team comes along.
“No-one talks about that,” added Ferguson. “It is a possibility but more of an impossibility given the number of games we have, the speed of games and the competition.
“In 1999 we had no injuries to contend with so that was the lucky break we got in that particular year.
“This year we are dealing with a few injuries at this moment in time but we do cope very well with them and we will have a go at everything.”
Half realism, half mind games to help his side focus on the tasks at hand. But if there’s one thing a team like Manchester United shouldn’t be, it’s uncomfortable with pressure. The consensus around those we’ve spoken to (ourselves), is that Chelsea or Liverpool are much more likely to get to the final – clubs whose commitment to rigid, organized football is more conducive to getting the results needed over two legs.
But just like in 1999, putting anything beyond United is generally quite silly.