EPL TITLE: MAN UTD THREATENS CHELSEA – MIKEL

By NBF News

Mikel
Chelsea's midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has explained why he expects Manchester United to be his team's main rivals for domestic success this season.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men were runners-up in the league last year as we took the title by a point before taking the Double with a 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Wembley, and although United had had a quiet summer in the transfer market, Mikel believes it will be the team, rather than its neighbour, Manchester City, that will be pushing us all the way.

'The team has always been strong and you never write them off, it has a very good team. People talk about Man City but I think Man United is always going to be there, (they) will always be a threat,' said the 23-year-old after losing the Community Shield on Sunday.

'It's an important game but I don't think it has anything to do with the Premier League,' he admitted. 'Unfortunately, we lost the Community Shield but no cause for alarm. ' The difference, says the Nigerian, between Chelsea and United, and a new financial power like City, is the team's ethic that has been present at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford for many years.

'It's not about how much you spend but the team you have. We have a team here, Madrid keeps buying players but it doesn't have a team, and that's one of the problems Man City will have this season,' he predicted.

'The team has always been complete, Yossi is the only one we bought, but we have young players coming through. It will still be the same team playing, and it is important we play together. We know one another's game, if Didier makes a run, you know where to pass to him. 'I am going into my fifth year now, every year, I feel more comfortable and hopefully this year will be a great one for me.