Enter fat lady, Old Trafford is ready

MAY 16 — Just two more matches to go. For some, the season is over. Well for me anyway.

Go ahead, laugh, but I will be ever the optimist, because that’s what supporting any football club is about.  Having hope for the next season that comes along.

No matter what, there is no dwelling in the past (Liverpool fans especially, take note). A new season resets everything in football — the past season’s stats are null. Every game, every goal scored, every goal conceded and, of course, the points. That’s what I will be looking forward to after May 24.

After more than 30 years of supporting one club, I can honestly say, in that long span of a time, there will always be more downs than ups. That’s just football.

At the end of the day, it’s how you play the next game that counts. Which brings me to Manchester United vs Arsenal tonight at 7.45pm on ESPN.

Everyone just expects Arsenal to roll over and give up against MU.

Granted, they have been playing poorly (especially defensively) in the last few games but it’s still Arsenal and they can pull off a result. Surely their players would want to put in a performance to prove their manager Arsene Wenger and his youth policy right.

The media and almost everyone else I know portrays this match as another sign of Arsenal's increasing irrelevance to the title race, that they will merely be guests at a celebration, and guests that are likely to leave early while the hosts make merry.

However, this match might not be as straightforward. MU could be over-confident after disposing of Arsenal comfortably in the Champions League.

Will this affect Alex Ferguson’s mind when he names his team sheet?

Surely, neither he nor his players can be blamed for taking this match lightly in view of the CL final against Barcelona in 11 days. Already robbed of Darren Fletcher for the final, MU cannot afford to lose another player in the engine room.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Darron Gibson, instead of Michael Carrick, being paired up with Fletcher in midfield tonight. Would Ferguson take a risk by playing Carrick? No, and you need only ask Cristiano Ronaldo, after events in last weekend’s game, why.

I do expect Ronaldo to start though, as will Carlos Tevez. Who knows, this could even be their swansong at Old Trafford in a league game, the last hurrah for two great players. I don’t think Ferguson will deny them that. So, if they start, it is assured that they will play their guts out.

MU are not known as chokers, so they are almost certain of winning the league tonight at Old Trafford (the last time they did it was in 1999), just as the Gunners did on May 8, 2002 with a solitary goal from Sylvain Wiltord sealing the points that put Arsenal out of second-place MU’s reach.

The only question is if the Red Devils will win or just settle for a draw as the match draws down.

Arsenal truly have nothing to lose and nothing to gain, whatever the outcome of this match. The Gunners have fourth place secure and with that the opportunity to get into the group phase of the CL for the 11 consecutive year. So, all they are playing for is pride.

Andrei Arshavin could be the key to this match. The MU defence has not faced the “mighty mouse” Russian — and sadly neither have Chelsea, no thanks to Wenger and his policy of not playing first-teamers for cup competitions. Liverpool will vouch for his creativity and scoring accuracy, and he could do similarly against a cautious MU midfield.

Still, whatever goal(s) Arsenal may score, count on MU to reply in equal number at least.

This match could also have an effect on the relegation battle. If Arsenal wins, then Hull City will be in for a torrid time next weekend when MU will be fighting their socks off to retain the English Premier League title which could effectively mean Hull City playing back in the Championship after one single season in the top flight.

But a MU draw or win today and it is game on for Hull on May 24 as presumably MU will field an under-strength side to rest the first teamers for Rome on May 27. Two seasons ago, United did likewise against West Ham, after securing the league title, and Tevez (who was then a Hammer) netted the winner that kept the Hammers in the league at the expense of Sheffield United.

Same thing could happen again this season. Actually, I’m absolutely certain Ferguson will do that, try as he may to deny it with Newcastle United, Sunderland and Middlesbrough watching closely.

He might even be secretly satisfied that he could send Newcastle, who is managed by Alan Shearer, down. After all, Shearer rejected MU (and in effect, rejected Ferguson) several times in his career.

Oh, by the way, if MU somehow let the single point they need slip from their grasp tonight, it will still be down to Liverpool to take all three at West Bromwich Albion tomorrow. A desperate team at the bottom of the table still could have some fight in them, as they struggle for survival.

I wonder what the odds are on a combo of Arsenal win-WBA draw. A combo that could potentially be the height of tension and excitement in the EPL this weekend … unless you are a Liverpool fan that is.