Golf trip to ease United tension

Manchester United’s players have reportedly been taken for a weekend golfing retreat in Scotland to escape the pressure of the title race.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to have taken his squad on a mini-break north of the border because he feels some of the younger players ‘are on edge’ as the battle for English Premier League supremacy with rivals Manchester City near its culmination.

The United players and backroom staff were due to fly to Scotland on Friday and return on Sunday, when they will head directly to the team hotel to prepare for Monday’s match away to Blackburn Rovers.

Sources have said the players were told by staff to bring their luggage to the training ground on Friday morning.

“Initially the players thought they might be going to somewhere exotic like Dubai,” a source told Goal.com.

“But half the squad were told they were going to Gleneagles and the other half to St Andrews.

“Fergie wanted to keep the players guessing a bit because he wants complete isolation and for the trip to be away from the prying eyes of the media.”

“The trip will involve a bit of training, some golf, and some rest and recuperation to relax the players ahead of the run-in.”

Intriguingly, United sources say it is unprecedented for Ferguson to take his players away for a mini-break at this stage of the title race.

“It is the first time in a title run-in that the manager has felt the need to take the pressure off like this,” the source said.

“No-one has ever known anything like it. There was just a feeling among some of the staff that the younger players are on edge.”

United battled to a narrow 1-0 win over Fulham on Monday, an indication some of the players may be starting to feel the pressure.

And increasingly terse words are being traded across Manchester between the two title-chasing clubs.

Patrick Vieira, Manchester City’s director of football development, irked United last week by calling Paul Scholes’ return from retirement a ‘sign of weakness’, before shifting the spotlight to the club’s supposedly preferential treatment at the hands of referees.

Ferguson hit back by saying City have enjoyed their own luck with decisions, and suggested Vieira will risk official sanction if he continues to question the integrity of referees.