Manchestor United are hoping that Liverpool will shrug off the disappointment of failing to reach the Europa League final and keep the Premier League title race wide open by beating Chelsea on Sunday. United,a point behind Chelsea at the top of the standings,need to win their own game at Sunderland and rely on seventh-place Liverpool doing them a favour at Anfield. Although Liverpool lost out to Atletico Madrid for a place in the Europa League final on Thursday,United manager Alex Ferguson said he was convinced his teams traditional northwest rivals would play at their best against Chelsea. I am confident they will do their maximum, Ferguson said on Friday. Great clubs dont throw their history and traditions away for one game. They have been in 11 European finals. They have won 18 titles. That is a fantastic history. You dont throw that away. Do you think the fans want to go home saying their players capitulated and they didnt try and thinking it wouldnt happen again? Another Man United league title an unprecedented fourth in a row would mean breaking the record they currently share with Liverpool of 18. Sunderland are managed by former United defender Steve Bruce and some Chelsea fans fear that the Black Cats will take it easy at home to Fergusons team on Sunday. However,Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is convinced there will be no skullduggery. I think that Sunderland will do the best to beat Manchester United and Liverpool will do the same to beat us because I think every team has respect of the Premier League, he said. John Terry returns to the Chelsea defence after his ban. Spurs,City stay on course On Saturday,Tottenham edged Bolton 1-0 and Manchester City beat Aston Villa 3-1 to stay neck and neck in the race for a Champions League spot,while Villa slipped out of contention. Tom Huddlestone fired Tottenhams winner,while City came from behind with goals from Carlos Tevez,Emmanuel Adebayor and Craig Bellamy to beat Villa at Eastlands. Fourth-place Spurs have 67 points and City have 66. The two face each other on Wednesday. Villa slipped to sixth with 64. Also,Birmingham beat relegated Burnley 2-1,last-place Portsmouth won 3-1 over Wolves and Stoke and Everton drew 0-0.
