United and Chelsea seek tonic after midweek
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-04 10:08

Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy said: "United have always been about good passing football, possession and creating lots of chances.

"They are basic things at Manchester United and we need to get back to that," he told the club's official website.

SET-PIECE FAILINGS

Mourinho's concerns are probably more with Europe where Chelsea relinquished the leadership of their group with a 1-0 loss at Real Betis in an uncharacteristically lax performance on Tuesday that had their manager fuming.

But he will want a performance of the kind that gave Chelsea a 3-1 win at Old Trafford last season where United clapped Chelsea on to the field as champions.

Captain John Terry said Chelsea had been found wanting defending set pieces.

"We have been sloppy from wide free kicks as well as from corners into our box," Terry said in Thursday's Evening Standard. "We have not been dealing with these balls and that's how Betis scored against us.

"It was our first real defeat of the season," added Terry, whose team have faltered after a scorching start to the season. They dropped their first league points at Everton in a 1-1 draw 11 days ago and three days later were dumped out of the League Cup on penalties by Charlton Athletic.

"We have a massive game coming up at Old Trafford at the weekend and we have got to pick ourselves up straight away."

Wigan, in their first season in top flight football, will try to consolidate their position at Portsmouth on Saturday before a run of five tough games against the elite -- Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at home followed by away games at Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United -- that will test their true Premier League credentials.

Arsenal, who, like United, have been left in Chelsea's slipstream, should pick up three points at Highbury against bottom-placed Sunderland with Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp due to make his 300th League appearance for the Gunners.

On Monday third placed Spurs will be bidding to maintain their best start to a Premier League season when they visit fifth-placed Bolton Wanderers.