Fergie: Dump Blues And We'll Be Champions

Apr 20 2008 By Gordon Waddell

SIR ALEX FERGUSON claimed his side played like champions to salvage a draw that puts them 90 minutes away from the title.

Carlos Tevez's 88th-minute header turned the premiership race on its head again in a thriller at Ewood Park.

Fergie (right) insists a win at Chelsea next week means the trophy is theirs for the 10th time in his tenure, with their goal difference so far ahead of the Stamford Bridge club.

The Scot said: "Our performance in the second half was brilliant. The passion in our game was fantastic - they played like champions.

"We deserved to win and could have had three penalties but got a point late on so it's a positive.

"It doesn't get more important than going into your third-last game to win the Championship.

"I said some weeks ago, if we win our next three matches we win the league and it's now down to one. If we win it, we win the league.

"It'll be a fantastic game but we've got Barcelona on Wednesday night in the Champions League. I'm sure we'll recover in time.

"Wayne Rooney got a knock but he'll be okay and we'll have Edwin van der Sar, Owen Hargreaves and Anderson back."

The Man Utd boss wasn't the only Ferguson celebrating last night. Son Darren's Peterborough side sealed promotion from League Two with a narrow 1-0 win over Hereford.

And his dad grinned: "First season as a manager and he's promoted, that's terrific."