United aim for

home comforts A FOUR match home run which started against Chelsea today could give United a chance to get those gremlins out of their system.

So Fabien Barthez will take centre stage just for a moment to give everybody a laugh.

A current joke on the Internet claims the French World Cup winner, ridiculed unmercifully for his errors against Arsenal last Sunday, would be great in panto

All the audience could shout: "It's behind you", claim his detractors.

Enough of that nonsense.

Before his two errors, which cost two vital goals at Highbury, Barthez had done more than anybody to keep his lifeless teammates in the game.

Of course, this is all forgotten quite easily.

Sir Alex Ferguson's refusal to speak to the Press is not helping matters, either.

Reporters on national newspapers have big areas of print to fill and pressured deadlines.

What would normally be the quotes of Sir Alex (mundane, or otherwise) are now filled by the thoughts of journalists.

Rumour has it, many have been just waiting for this opportunity after the way the Scotsman has behaved over the years.

When the Empire is crumbling - Oh, no it's not, said Fergie recently; Oh yes it is, say his detractors - then it's open season.

The closed ranks of players, and fans, in the face of the latest adversity are simply a demonstration of what has made United such a force.

For the only good losers in sport are those who've never tried hard enough to win anything in the first place.