‘REDS RECORD UNDER THREAT’

May 18 2009 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Echo

ALEX FERGUSON insists his side will go flat to overtake Liverpool’s record 18 title wins next season.

United equalled the Reds long standing record after their goalless home draw with Arsenal egded them over the line at the weekend.

And the veteran Scottish boss said: “The great challenge now is to try to win it next year because that would be something special.”

“It would be a 19th league and give us a special place in the club’s history.

“I am already thinking about next year. You have to do it here. There is nothing else for it. You just drive on.”

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was also focusing on next year – and vowed his side would put up more of a challenge in the title race.

“They were the better team this year, so congratulations to them,” said the Frenchman. “We have to make sure that it is on our side next year.”

Middlesbrough’s 11-year stay in the Premier League looks to be at an end following their 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, which left them three points off safety with only one match left.

But manager Gareth Southgate vowed to stay at the helm and try to engineer an immediate return despite being booed by a large section of the Riverside crowd.

He said: “Whatever happens at the end of the season, I am going to go on holiday and, if we didn’t stay in this league, I would want to take the team back up, I’m pretty clear on that.

“But sometimes a reaction like that has a short-term impact on you – there’s no question.

“I would be lying if I said it didn’t hurt, but I am big enough to deal with it.”

North-east rivals Newcastle are now favourites to go down with Boro after slipping back into the bottom three following their 1-0 home defeat by Fulham and Hull’s 1-1 draw at Bolton.

Magpies boss Alan Shearer channeled his anger towards referee Howard Webb, who disallowed what would have been a Mark Viduka equaliser.

He said: “We are bitterly disappointed. I have seen it and I can’t see anything that’s wrong with it.”

Shearer is confident they can survive, however, saying: “It’s out of our hands. We have got to better Hull next weekend.”