Hello again,

Well, we’ve discussed Everton’s victory over Middlesbrough on Sunday, and looking back at last weekend, you can’t fail to talk about the Man United-Chelsea game too.

With all the injury-time we had in our game, by the time we got off the ground it was only five minutes to go until kick-off of the game at Old Trafford. So, as soon as I got into the dressing room, the telly went on and I was cheering my old mates on.

I got home to watch the last 20 minutes from there but listening to it on the radio in the car on the way home was painful! All that Chelsea pressure!

I think some days you can tell that a team looks like it’s not going to concede and the United lads looked so determined on Sunday that I knew they were going to win the game.

United had lost the last two games and there had been a lot of criticism. But how many times over the years has Sir Alex Ferguson pulled out a performance like that when it’s really been needed?

When you have been involved at United like I have, some of the criticism makes you laugh. You just knew that after the defeat in Europe they would come back strongly. Losing to Lille almost worked for them in the sense that it increased the criticism which will have only fired them up more for the Chelsea game.

In the dressing room before the game there would have definitely been a siege mentality. ‘Us against the rest of the world’ type thing and that is when United are at their best.

The ability to bounce back from adversity is part of the make up of the club. It always has been.

Chelsea will still need to lose a couple more games for the title race to really liven up but those teams chasing them have really got to concentrate on their own form. Playing to the highest standards week in week out is what Chelsea have done over the last 40 games. That is what the other teams have to match.

For many people Alan Smith typified United's performance on the day. To be honest with you, on the quiet, I think Alan has been playing really well anyway.

I think what Sunday’s game may have done is highlighted his form a little more because of the profile of the game. I think he’s developing into a fine midfielder at the moment and playing in games like that can only benefit him.

I’ll look forward to meeting up with Alan and all the England lads when the squad comes together in Manchester on Wednesday afternoon. The atmosphere around the game we have with England now is superb. I’ll catch up with you from there.

Phil Neville