Manchester could be under fire in Gelsenkirchen

Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. Each mathematically at least in contention for the Premiership title, yet each with a manager under fire. Tuesday, Manchester United could be under fire indeed in Gelsenkirchen, where in first leg European Cup semi-final they meet the remarkable Schalke 04 team, the side which has come almost out of nowhere, still nowhere near the Bundesliga title, yet capable of brushing expensive Inter aside in the previous round. In the recent FA Cup semi -final at Wembley, United's dour, long lasting manager Alex Ferguson surely got things horribly wrong. Without Wayne Rooney — whose subsequent presence last week didn't enable them to do better than a sterile 0-0 draw at modest Newcastle — United inexplicably fielded the skilled Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov as a solitary striker, a role quite alien to him and his cornucopia of talents. Not till midway through the second half did little 22-year-old elusive Mexican Chicabrita come on in support. By which time Berbatov, who had begun the game looking effective enough, had faded into anonymity. Bitterest pill Losing to rivals Manchester City, who have fallen so far behind United since the high managerial days of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison some 40 odd years ago, was the bitterest of pills to swallow. Paul Scholes, sent off for the second time at Wembley, will be eligible for this European game, but perhaps Ferguson in central midfield will call on that still more durable veteran Ryan Ciggs, who was bizarrely sidelined at Wembley. Schalke and their amiable manager Ralf Ragnick who once studied in Brighton, won't care whom they face and as they showed against Inter, they are just as good if not better away than at home. There are two ex-Real Madrid players in the Schalke side, most notably the 33-year-old Raul once called by Ferguson himself the best player in the world, capped 102 times by Spain, scorer of goals in such profusion another plus a crucial as first coming in the 2-1 home win over Inter. The pressure is plainly on United. United themselves have at last been able to welcome Rio Ferdinand back in that same position but even heard the equally resilient Vidic couldn't stop City winning at Wembley. While in central midfield, the versatile Scottish international Darren Fletcher, laid low by illness, has been hardly missed. But United at least remain a favourite to win the Premier League. Chelsea, however, have suddenly revived and could still catch them: United have to face both them and Arsenal.