Sir Alex Ferguson prepared for a “nail-biting” climax to the Barclays Premier League campaign tomorrow by accusing Bolton Wanderers' players of taking their eye off the ball before their trip to Chelsea, claiming that they had been “out all week celebrating” and expressing fears that Manchester United could be left to pay the price.

 

United, who have a vastly superior goal difference, should beat Chelsea to the Premier League title if they defeat Wigan Athletic, but Ferguson suggested that, while his team will face a rough ride at the JJB Stadium, Chelsea’s task may be facilitated by a perceived air of complacency at Bolton, whose players, he claimed, are in end-of-season mode.

It is a comment designed to motivate those same Bolton players by questioning their professionalism, with Gary Megson, their manager, rising to the bait by promising to fight Chelsea all the way.

“All you wonderful people in the press have been talking about the integrity of Wigan, but nobody has even mentioned Bolton,” Ferguson said yesterday. “All we have seen is Wigan players saying how they will beat Manchester United. Fine, I have no problem with that. But then you hear about Bolton players out all week celebrating.

 Both teams are safe, but one is all keyed up to play Manchester United and the other one is out celebrating. “The only thing that gives me confidence about Bolton is their manager and their assistant manager [Archie Knox, Ferguson’s former assistant at Aberdeen and United]. Archie will not enjoy hearing about his players going out celebrating and neither will Gary Megson when there is such an important game in the offing.”

Ferguson‘s claims appear to be based on “intelligence” that Bolton’s players enjoyed a team night out in Manchester on Monday, although rumours that they had also been out in force at Chester races on Wednesday were denied by one of Megson’s players.

Megson attempted to assure Ferguson that his players would give Chelsea a fair fight. “The players were not celebrating [their place in the Premier League is as good as guaranteed],” the Bolton manager said.

 “They went out together, which they have done in the past on a Monday night, but it wasn’t in terms of celebrating because we’re not safe yet. Since that point they have been preparing properly and I can assure Sir Alex and everybody else that we will be going to Chelsea as prepared as we possibly can be and giving it everything we possibly can on the day.” Avram Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, was amused to learn of Ferguson’s attempt to gee up Bolton’s players. “I know Alex, I like him, I respect him, but I know why he says things sometimes,” Grant said. “I don’t know how he knows what’s happening at Bolton. Alex is friends with Mossad [the Israeli intelligence agency], but nobody believes me,” he joked. With the two teams level on points, United, with a vastly superior goal difference, are all but certain to retain the title if they win away to Wigan.With relegation issues also to be decided – Birmingham City, Bolton, Fulham and Reading are fighting to avoid dropping into the Coca-Cola Championship – Ferguson thinks that it will be a memorable end to the campaign. With United’s and Chelsea’s matches to be beamed around the world, he joked that the Premier League, often accused of greed, had “sold its product too cheap”. The Premier League trophy will be at the JJB Stadium tomorrow, with a replica in situ at Stamford Bridge in case Chelsea end up as champions.