Old trafford set to give sir alex emotional send-off

Emotions will be running high at Old Trafford on Sunday for Alex Ferguson's last home game as Manchester United manager, with his retirement overshadowing the presentation of the Premier League trophy to the champion.

Ferguson will take his seat in the dugout for the final time, with Swansea City the visitor for his home farewell after the Scot announced on Wednesday he will step down at the end of the season following more than 26 trophy-laden years at the helm.

Fans unable to get a ticket will be able to line the streets and toast the Scot on Monday evening when United embarks on an open-top bus parade through the city.

After that, Ferguson will bow out at West Bromwich Albion on the final day of the season.

While there is nothing at stake from Swansea's visit, United having long since sealed a 20th English title and its opponent set for a top-10 finish, the battle for the remaining two Champions League places and one relegation spot is guaranteed another twist or two in the dying embers of the season.

Chelsea (69 points), Arsenal (67) and Tottenham Hotspur (66) remain in the mix, with last season's European champion Chelsea missing the chance to all but guarantee a top-four finish when it was twice pegged back by Spurs in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday.

It gets another chance when it visits resurgent Aston Villa on Saturday, Paul Lambert's side having revenge firmly on its mind after an 8-0 mauling by Chelsea in December.

Spurs visit Stoke on Sunday, while Arsenal, not in action at the weekend, faces relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic at the Emirates on Tuesday.

Wigan's build-up to its first FA Cup final appearance against Manchester City on Saturday would have been far more relaxed had it managed to hold on to a 2-1 lead against Swansea on Tuesday.

Instead, Roberto Martinez's side imploded to lose 3-2 and its perennial Houdini act of escaping the trapdoor is now in serious jeopardy.

Wigan's defeat, which kept it third from bottom on 35 points, will have been greeted by relief by the teams above it with Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland holding a three-point cushion with two games to play.

Southampton, on 39, and Aston Villa and Fulham with 40 are not yet assured of safety.

One win from its past seven games has plunged Newcastle into a dogfight that has left fans contemplating the specter of a second demotion in five seasons after it was demoted in 2009.

Newcastle visits already-relegated QPR on Sunday having produced an improved display in a 0-0 draw at West Ham United last weekend.

After conceding 10 goals in three games, including six in the embarrassing 6-0 home rout by Liverpool, a clean sheet owed much to the return of captain and centerback Fabricio Coloccini from injury after a 12-match absence.

Norwich hosts West Brom while Sunderland welcomes Southampton for a game manager Paolo Di Canio has described as like a "Champions League final for us".

AFP

(China Daily 05/10/2013 page22)