Manchester United to face Everton

Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United have the edge over Liverpool in the title run in as Alex Ferguson’s side look to pull away at the top of the Premier League table this weekend.

Having replaced faltering Liverpool at the summit, United will move five points clear of nearest rivals Chelsea and Liverpool if they defeat Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool, who have drawn seven of their last 10 league outings, entertain Chelsea on Sunday in the biggest fixture of the weekend.

By then, Ferdinand is hoping that United, currently two points clear with a game in hand over Benitez’s side, will have opened up a significant gap at the top as they eye a third successive title.

Ferdinand believes that United’s experience of winning the Premier League will help them in the run-in.

But the England defender is taking nothing for granted. “It is easier when you have got experienced players in your camp, the likes of (Ryan) Giggs, (Paul) Scholes, players who have won the league before,” said Ferdinand.

“There is the experience in there and maybe that is the edge we have got on the other teams, that we’ve got the experience of older pros who have been there.

“But the important thing is you’ve got to get momentum.

“If you’ve got momentum going into the last few games of the season, then you are in a good position to strike then. That counts a lot.

“We love the pressure of playing in big pressure games but everyone would tell you they’d rather win it by 10-20 points but it doesn’t happen like that.

“You never get anything easy in life but you’ve got to work hard and we know that.”

Everton’s Australian international Tim Cahill heads for Old Trafford eyeing another century of goals after notching his 100th career strike in midweek.

Cahill reached the landmark when he opened the scoring against Arsenal in midweek although David Moyes’s side had to settle for a point after Robin Van Persie scored a last minute equaliser for the Gunners.

Everton go into their toughest fixture of the campaign unbeaten in nine games and with an FA Cup replay against neighbours Liverpool to follow next Wednesday.

Yet Belgium international Marouane Fellaini believes that Everton’s recent good form will help them get a result at Old Trafford.

“It was awful to give the goal away on Wednesday and we are so disappointed,” said Fellaini.

“But we’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us. We are a good side — we have shown that on many occasions — and we are capable of going to Old Trafford to get a good result.

“It is never easy when you go to a place like that but this is a chance for us to show what we are made of and I’m sure the boys want to put things right.

“We proved what we can do against Arsenal, so why can’t we play the same way in Manchester? We hope to win but the main thing is to keep working hard.”