Vidic: Wa Can Repeat 1999
Sun: NEMANJA VIDIC aims to back up his billing as a Red legend with a huge performance against Arsenal at The Emirates.
Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have been hailed by Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson as the club’s best defensive partnership since Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister in the 90s.
A 10th clean sheet for the pair this season in Saturday’s top-of-the-table crunch will further cement that view.
And Vidic is predicting just that — with Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez to do the damage at the other end.
Vidic said: “Why shouldn’t they score? They are playing so well at the moment. And not just them but Ronaldo, Nani, every one of the attackers.
“At the back, though, we will take just as much pride from a clean sheet as they will do with a goal.
“Arsenal will be a big test but I believe we can stop them and have another clean sheet to our names.
“I have heard of the comparisons with Bruce and Pallister. They are part of the Manchester United legend. To be compared with them is great.
“It makes you want to try even harder.”
Vidic has been impressed by the current Premier League leaders this season. Yet he is relishing the prospect of experiencing a first win over the Gunners, after they did the double over United in 2006-07.
He added: “Arsenal have been playing very well. They are not just winning but playing good football too. I watched their match against Liverpool and thought they were especially good in the first half.”
The Serb watched from afar when these two titans clashed during his time with Red Star Belgrade and Spartak Moscow.
He wished then he was part of it — and now he is right in the thick of it.
Vidic, 26, revealed: “I always used to watch those games and they were always great. It didn’t matter what position either team was in or their form going into the game.
“Players live for these sorts of game. And as both teams are playing really well right now, everyone will want to watch.”
Vidic picked up a title medal last May in his first season with United. The team fell just short in the final stretch as they searched for another Treble. But he believes they are better equipped now to repeat the achievement of 1999.
He said: “We have a big squad this season. Last season we got a lot of injuries towards the end and did not have the power to go that one step further.
“Now we are much stronger and, with the competition for places, everyone is pushing that much harder.”
