RUNNING DOWN THE WING

Last updated : 20 May 2005 By Ed

Giggs on Fergie, not playing abroad, another 3 years and tomorrow:

"Maybe I'll one day regret not playing abroad, like Becks has, but the way I see it, there's always a challenge here," he said. "Chelsea are the new one. They've raised the bar. And I'm a United fan. I want to play for United. I've enjoyed my time here and I want more success."

He says Fergie has not mellowed:

"Oh yeah. If you don't work hard, he's going to come down on you. That's the way he's always been. And as long as he's got that, he'll still be working.

"I think the gaffer enjoys the challenge of taking on [Jose] Mourinho. He's obviously enjoyed the challenge of taking on [Arsène] Wenger over the past seven or eight years. That's one of the things that keeps him going.

"He's not mellowed, maybe adjusted. Things have changed from when I came into the first team. The players now have a lot more power. He probably can't treat players and young lads like he used to. You can't get away with that now. But he still tells the young lads they have to grow up properly, respect the club and all the traits that come with being a Man United player."

Tomorrow:

"Jose Antonio Reyes was fouled three times at Old Trafford - that hardly constitutes the Texas Chainsaw Massacre," he noted yesterday. Giggs, who has rarely kicked anyone - he is an excellent tackler - has his own view on the apparent animosity between the teams.

"I think Arsenal are still our biggest rivals purely because of the history between the two clubs over the years. The last game at Highbury, the build-up started way before, and the players sensed that. You just sense that it's a big game and you know you've got to be right physically and mentally.

"The players don't dislike each other but our games are competitive and in the past two seasons have spilled into dangerous territory, which we don't want on Saturday. The last game was competitive but there was nothing really naughty about it. Mikaël [Silvestre] got sent off but the Arsenal players just got on with it and so did we.

"I remember watching Kevin Moran being sent off in the Cup final [1985, the only FA Cup final dismissal]. Hopefully, it won't happen again, even though we won. You wouldn't want a player to be sent off, especially if it's hot on a big pitch like the Millennium. You don't want to be chasing after Arsenal. So you have to be careful and behave yourself."