Japan glory only Stoked the fires

It is perhaps only in the peculiar world of football in which a British belt is deemed worthier than a world title. It could be argued, as the Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard once did, that the English Premier League is tougher to win than the Champions League. That probably says enough about the notional value of the Fifa Club World Cup.

Nice to look at, but there will be lustier medals to show off when a player finds himself armed with tales with which to regale his offspring. United can close the gap on the leaders Liverpool to one point if they win their two games in hand. Three points at Stoke today would be regarded by their manager Sir Alex Ferguson as essential on their return to domestic fare. Ferguson remains the Godfather of Manchester United. He gave off an assured look in Japan, as if he knew the trophy would be with him on the return flight to Manchester, alongside the £3million (Dh16.5m) in appearance money United apparently trousered.

Ferguson chewed his gum knowingly as he watched United reel in the Ecuadorian side LDU Quito in the final on Sunday. The United defender Nemanja Vidic was sent off for throwing an elbow at an opponent shortly after half-time, but United were never in danger of being blown off course. Wayne Rooney's dainty finish in the closing 20 minutes earned United the lofty tag of world champions. It was the first time an English club has snagged a title that used to go by the moniker of the Intercontinental Cup, traditionally fought out between the European and South American champions.

Ferguson believes it is a tournament that will mean something in 30 years or so, and that United's name being on it will carry greater significance in future times. At the moment, it is perhaps above an impending League Cup semi-final in terms of importance to United, but is well beneath winning the Champions League, Premier League and probably even the FA Cup. Stoke warmed up for a Boxing Day bout with the new world champions by getting stuffed at Blackburn Rovers. They lost 3-0 to a team rejuvenated under their new manager Sam Allardyce.

But the United midfielder Michael Carrick believes Stoke will provide more of a threat than Quito did. "Quito was a test but Stoke will be tough," he said. "They will make it a battle and try to ensure it is not easy for us. They will probably come at us a little bit more than Quito did. It will be hard." In football parlance, a match with United is as daunting as a flyweight having to visit Madison Square Garden to tackle Rocky Marciano. Stoke face a rocky time, but are fighting hard to stay afloat, being two points clear of the three bottom spots.

They can reminisce about beating United on Boxing Day in the old first division in 1984. If they get out of today with even a point, they will feel like world champions. dkane@thenational.ae