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Ear come the champs

Image: Tevez: a disrespectful gesture?

Paul Merson isn't impressed with Carlos Tevez, but says Man United will march on against Wigan.

No questions asked, United will beat Wigan

I don't see any problem with the way Cristiano Ronaldo reacted to being substituted on Sunday. I don't want to see players coming off laughing and joking, I like it when they want to play football. It's easy to criticise, but when you're 2-0 up and it's a doddle these players want to stay out there and perform. I have no problem with what he did. I'd be more worried about Carlos Tevez cupping his ears to the directors' box after he scored. I think that's worse than Ronaldo because that really is showing disrespect. To say what he did in the papers and then to start making gestures like that seems a bit strong to me. He wants to let everybody know that he's for sale and he seems to know what he's doing. Tevez is a really good player, but I've seen him struggle in some games. I remember seeing him at Derby in the Carling Cup and he hardly had a kick. They are talking about huge sums of money to sign him and I wouldn't pay it. I think he's a very good player, but he's not worth the money his owners seem to think he's worth. However, Sir Alex Ferguson is a top-drawer manager, he's proved that consistently for 20 years, and he isn't going to chop his nose off to spite his face. He'll pick Tevez and / or Ronaldo against Wigan if he thinks he needs them to win the game.

Dominate

United showed on Sunday how good they are. Shortly afterwards I watched Arsenal dominate a game and they came off the pitch having lost 4-1. You never see that from United. When they dominate a game they always make it count. There's no way they'll let the title slip now. Liverpool will learn from this season and next year they'll push United all the way, if not further, but this simply isn't going to be their year. Five years ago, Arsenal won the league at Old Trafford and this year they'll be watching Man United win it. I've no doubt this title race will be over by 3pm on Saturday afternoon. But Sir Alex will want to beat Wigan to make sure they only need a point to wrap it up against Arsenal. He'll want to get it out of the way so it's all systems go for the Champions League final. We've seen Andres Iniesta pick up an injury for Barcelona and that shows what can happen. The sooner they can put the title to bed, the sooner they can wrap their top players up in cotton wool.
Slaughtered
I'm giving Wigan no chance at all here. They got slaughtered by West Brom at the weekend and it's been a long, old season for them. They've done great to get safe so quickly, but they won't get anything against a flying Man United on a nice summer's evening. People say Wigan have nothing got lose and can have a go at United, but I don't buy into that. If they play an open game it could get really Lionel for them, it could be really messy! Steve Bruce won't want to be going into the summer on the end of a real thrashing, so I think they'll be careful because otherwise they're going to be run ragged. PAUL'S PREDICTION
Away win - I can't see anything but an easy, easy Man United win and I'll go for 3-0. Man United are head and shoulders above this Wigan team and I think there's no question they'll win. And they'll be champions on Saturday.

MERSON'S MAGIC MAN
Wayne Rooney - He didn't play on Sunday, but I think Wayne Rooney has been phenomenal. People go on about Ronaldo, but Rooney is the main man for me. His work-rate is second-to-none - and he's got everything else to go with it as well.

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