Robert Pires deems Manchester United title favourites and said that he is happy and ‘not jealous’ that the club is up and running again after some barren years.
Frenchman Pires, who spent six years at Arsenal and won the Premier League title at Old Trafford with the Gunners in 2002, put the old, fiery rivalry between the two clubs to one side and is enjoying seeing United impress once more.
After the goalless stalemate with Arsenal last weekend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United are second in the table and currently sit three points adrift of rivals Manchester City who have a game in hand.
But for two-time Premier League winner and 1998 world champion Pires the title race will be an affair between United and... Leicester City.
“For many years the rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United was like war," Pires said. "But I am not jealous [of their success], I have never been an envious person. I am happy because for football in general, the resurgence of a big English and European side like Manchester United is really important. They are my title favourites with Leicester City.”
When asked whether United ever made an offer to prise him away from Highbury when he was in his pomp, the 47-year old said: “No, never. I had offers from Juventus and Real Madrid but before I joined Arsenal. Manchester United were never interested. But in my career I only have two regrets: Not winning the French title with Metz in 1998 and losing the Champions League final with Arsenal in 2006.”
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