Famously Sir Alex Ferguson called it “squeaky bum time” – the finish to the Premier League title race that the Scot has won 11 times since his arrival at Manchester United. The legendary manager still feels the nerves with just seven games to go in the domestic season. It’s a title run-in that Ferguson expects to go to the last game of the season.
“It is probably the time when the players are doing their warm-up that you feel on your own because your staff are out there doing their jobs,” said Ferguson.
“It is all right at home because you have your office, but, away from home, there is always that killing time, walking about and sitting in your dressing room or whatever.
“Some people don’t show it but deep down inside they are all churning like the rest of us.
“That is what the game does to you. The thing, I think, for managers is the win, lose or draw situation. You are in to win and you can’t lose too many or you lose your job. There is no one in the game more directly responsible for results than the manager.
“No matter which way you look at it, we are all subject to winning games of football and, if we are not, we are on the dole line.”
United’s run-in continues today with a short trip across Lancashire to face Bolton Wanderers followed by a daunting series of games against Bayern Munich in Germany, followed by Chelsea and then the Germans back at Old Trafford.