Manchester United are hoping archrivals Arsenal can do them a favour by putting the brakes on Chelsea's tide surge at Highbury on Sunday.

Fourth-placed United play at Fulham on Monday and will have the chance to close a nine-point gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea if they fail to beat Arsenal

"One of the top three are going to drop points, maybe two of them, so we have to make sure that if they draw we capitalise," United defender Phil Neville told reporters on Friday.

"I think in an ideal world a draw would be the best result so we can get closer to both.

"If not, then probably an Arsenal

victory so we can get closer to Chelsea loo, because they are the team that's out in front at the moment."

United manager Alex Ferguson is also looking for Chelsea, who have lost just once in the league this season, to slip up.

"They have a big squad and their form is good at the moment." said Ferguson. "They have not had a blip and we hope that at some point they are going to get a blip and hopefully at that time we can capitalise on It.

"We've been buoyed by our own form over the last few weeks and we know this is an opportunity with Chelsea and Arsenal playing each other.

"But it's very early to look upon it as conclusive in terms of who’s going to win the league. I think three or four teams are still in it.

"We had a situation like this a

couple of years back and then it frittered away to two, Arsenal and ourselves again.

"It could very well happen again, but at the moment It looks as if three teams in particular are going to contest it."

United go to Fulham on the back of four straight league wins, although a below-strength side were beaten by Fenerbahce in the Champions League on Wednesday.

"Winning games, scoring goals and keeping clean sheets breeds confidence and we are playing like a team with a lot of confidence at the moment," hesaid.

Striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy is doubtful for United with a calf injury, while Wes Brown will be missing, along with Louis Saha and Kleberson, after sustaining an Achilles tendon injury in TUrkey on Wednesday.