Arsenal and Man United fired up for second helpings

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson is certain hostilities will be back on the menu when his team travel to bitter rivals Arsenal for a crunch match that could bury one side's Premiership title hopes.

United ended Arsenal's unbeaten top-flight record run in October in controversial circumstances, topped off by a notorious food fight in the tunnel, triggering a vicious cycle of sniping between Ferguson and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

Second-placed Arsenal are just a point ahead of United but 10 adrift of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, whose miserly defence has conceded just eight goals in 24 league games.

A draw would leave Mourinho licking his lips but while a win for either side would ensure the points gap does not widen, defeat would leave an almost impossible deficit to overhaul.

The two clubs have pledged to turn down the heat but Ferguson is predicting Highbury will dish up another serving of piping-hot enmity.

"It will be a hostile atmosphere. It'll be intense and the atmosphere at times will be incredible," Ferguson said.

"There won't be a bigger game for my players all season because of all the hype that surrounds our matches these days. There is a lot of pressure on us, a lot of pressure on Arsenal, and there will be a lot of pressure on the officials.

"But I have big-game players in my team. They always rise to the occasion, and we must win because if we don't we will be running out of games.

"The behaviour of both sets of supporters is important. We don't want any trouble this time. We will go to Highbury and play the way we always do - with great commitment, skill and a burning desire to win," the Scot added.

United have the psychological advantage, having turfed the Gunners out of the League Cup, adding to Arsenal's 2-0 Premiership defeat at Old Trafford which halted their record 49-match top-flight unbeaten run.

Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger, seen here in 2004. Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson is certain hostilities will be back on the menu when his team travel to bitter rivals Arsenal for a crunch match that could bury one side's Premiership title hopes.

That full-blooded contest sparked the 'Battle of the Buffet', the infamous flare-up in the tunnel when pizza and soup were supposedly hurled by Arsenal's players at Ferguson, who alleged Wenger threatened him as disorder ensued.

The incident may have cost Ferguson at the dry cleaners, but the real setback was at Highbury.

The defeat rattled Arsenal, who stumbled in subsequent matches, losing ground on Chelsea and sparking a seemingly endless war of words between Wenger and Ferguson.

The atmosphere has soured to such an extent that the Football Association, the police and even government ministers stepped in to demand the two camps end the feud.

United warmed up for Tuesday with a 3-0 FA Cup romp over Middlesbrough on Saturday, while Arsenal were given an good workout as they beat Wolverhampton 2-0 at Highbury.

"We haven't given up on the Championship," insisted Wenger. "If we wanted an intense preparation for Tuesday's game we got it. They gave us a very hard game.

"It was a good preparation physically because we had to put the effort in."

Charlton were given a scare before finally seeing off League Two outfit Yeovil in the FA Cup on Saturday, but will fancy their chances against Liverpool at The Valley.

Liverpool have a spring in their step again after knocking out Championship side Watford to reach the League Cup final, but Charlton will be keen to upset the Reds who have turned in some woeful performances of late.

Former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy may miss out after receiving a knock in the Yeovil match.

Fifth-placed Liverpool are two places above Charlton on goal difference as both teams try to reel in Everton, who lie in the last Champions League spot but have a seven-point cushion on the two sides at The Valley.

Elsewhere, rock-bottom West Brom host fellow strugglers Crystal Palace at the Hawthorns.

Manchester United have loaned out promising winger Kieran Richardson to West Brom to gain some Premiership experience and the 20-year-old could make his first top-flight start against the Eagles.

Palace are just above the relegation zone but the Baggies will look to make up the five point gap by claiming a third top-flight victory this season.

Tottenham travel to Bolton and Portsmouth host Middlesbrough with both sides looking to put their weekend FA Cup knockouts behind them.