United ready to pounce on City in EPL run-in

LONDON (AP) — After reducing the battle for the Premier League title to a two-horse race, Manchester United has a benign run of fixtures to look forward to as it bids to reel in Manchester City in the remaining two months of the season.

United has emerged from a tough spell in the league with wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham — while also coming from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at Chelsea — to lie two points behind City with 11 matches left.

Save for the seismic derby match against City on April 30, United's remaining matches look much easier than those of its archrival. They begin with a home match against West Bromwich Albion, which has won its last three matches but is a big underdog heading to Old Trafford.

"We are satisfied with the situation we are in," United midfielder Michael Carrick said. "But just because we have come through a tough two months doesn't mean we will sail through the next two nicely.

"We are not getting carried away and we are not taking anything for granted. We know how quickly it can come back and bite us."

Outplayed and outfought in the first legs of their Europa League last 16 matches on Thursday, the two Manchester clubs must ensure there is no hangover when they resume the title race this weekend.

United found itself in the unusual position of being utterly dominated at home in a humbling 3-2 loss to Athletic Bilbao.

City, meanwhile, looks to rebound from a 1-0 loss at Sporting Lisbon when it visits Swansea, which has lost only two of its 13 home matches this season since being promoted.

City has won its last four league games but will be without one of its outstanding performers this season after center back Vincent Kompany injured his calf in Portugal.

Like Carrick, City manager Roberto Mancini doesn't believe there will be any lasting impact of the loss in Europe.

"I am not worried," the Italian coach said. "We will go through in the Europa League and Sunday will be a different game."

United beat Tottenham 3-1 last weekend to open up an 11-point advantage over Harry Redknapp's third-place team.

After back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and then United, Spurs now face a trip to improving Everton on Saturday with just four points separating the team from fourth-place Arsenal.

Redknapp will have to cope without England internationals Aaron Lennon and Michael Dawson, who were injured in the midweek win over third-tier Stevenage in an FA Cup replay.

"Don't get me wrong, we had some difficult moments in the last two games but every team in the league will have those moments," Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor said.

"We have to believe in ourselves, to keep going. We will win points, lose points, so will Arsenal, Chelsea, City and United. We have a big chance to finish in the top three and we have to keep going until the end of the season."

Spurs will be looking over their shoulder at Arsenal, which has closed the gap with wins over its north London rival and Liverpool. Tuesday's 3-0 win over AC Milan didn't manage to secure Arsene Wenger's team a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals but lifted morale even further.

"People don't realize that we basically had half a squad at one stage and the team was just down to its bare bones," Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs said. "Everybody has come together now and we have overcome a difficult period. We need to be consistent like this now for the rest of the season."

Arsenal hosts Newcastle on Monday, with fifth-place Chelsea at home to Stoke in Roberto Di Matteo's first league game in charge since replacing Villas-Boas as manager on an interim basis.

Chelsea has won just one of its last six league games, allowing Arsenal to climb above them in the race for the fourth and final Champions League spot.

Sixth-place Newcastle, which is five points behind Arsenal, may still have designs on fourth but Liverpool's hopes look doomed after defeat by Arsenal left it five points further back.

Liverpool could welcome back Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson from injury for the trip to Sunderland on Saturday.

The rest of the weekend's games center on the relegation fight, where five teams are separated by two points.

Bottom team Wigan visits Norwich on Sunday, while second-last Bolton hosts Queens Park Rangers and third-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers is at home to Blackburn on Saturday. Fulham makes the trip to Aston Villa in the other game.