The Dons' last trip to Tyneside, on the night of Cantona's kung-fu antics, proved a watershed for Kevin Keegan. Arsenal, managing to be both hard to beat and entertaining, receive Aston Villa, who have conceded only one goal in five unbeaten visits to Highbury since crashing 5-0 during the death throes of Jo Venglos' managership in 1991.The leaders, Newcastle, are just the team to establish conclusively whether Wimbledon have indeed lost the defensive pace which sustained them in the days of greyhounds like Curle, Phelan, Scales and Barton. "He'll probably score with one of his 40-yard volleys," Ferguson said with a fatalistic chuckle, "or an overhead scissors- kick."The capital hosts another intriguing fixture. Throw in the memory of Cantona almost scoring from the halfway line at the Bridge and it is no wonder Ferguson said: "We always get an interesting game there."As if all that were not enough, Mark Hughes faces United for the first time since leaving them. But he felt, justifiably, that the official had earlier failed to act on two bad tackles, one of them on Cantona.United's meetings with Chelsea tend to accentuate the tactical rather than the physical. Glenn Hoddle outwitted Ferguson twice in United's Double year, a feat tarnished slightly by a 4-0 reverse in the FA Cup final.

Ferguson never disputed that Cantona's transgression against Richard Shaw left Mr Wilkie no alternative. "We're prepared for everything," the United manager, Alex Ferguson, said yesterday "But it's no problem. Eric will handle it."A little protection from the referee would not go amiss, either. By coincidence, the man in charge is Alan Wilkie, whose dismissal of Cantona against Crystal Palace was the prelude to his attack on a spectator. This time, however, Manchester United are taking their own security unit - trained by a former soldier called Ned Kelly - to ensure that no "fan" gets close enough to test the Frenchman's temperament. The "bouncers" had a dry run at the Coca-Cola Cup match at York, clearing a path from the United coach with a precision normally used by those guarding heads of state. Cantona's reappearance in London, against Chelsea, is also his first Premiership away game since the events of Selhurst Park nine months ago.

I had the backing of the spectators [he was also the players' choice] so the staff and I got together and we felt it was the right thing to do. I am the fifth manager in 10 years and I want to steady the waters."I do not think any manager should have to go through what Ian went through. It is wrong to put any individual through that kind of stress. The guy could have a nervous breakdown, or die of a heart attack. I do not think any job is worth that."A Newcastle fan as a boy, he remains one as a manager.

"My goal is to bring to Southampton the style Kevin Keegan has developed at Newcastle.". Having seen what management can be like, why get involved?"I had the chance to take over at Sunderland when Jim left for Leeds, but I had already committed myself to going with him. This time, if I had not taken the job I would have regretted it."I did not expect the job It came out of the blue. The pressure in the Premier League is unbelievable - you cannot afford to go down."It affects your life You go home and your family situation is different You find yourself wanting to switch off but you cannot. You want to get things right but you know you are not going to get them done overnight."Merrington endured a difficult time with Adamson at Leeds, then saw at close hand the hate campaign Ian Branfoot experienced at Southampton. The two moved on to Sunderland, then Leeds, before being sacked. He drifted out of the game before McMenemy made him youth coach at Southampton 12 years ago.

Circumstances, rather than ambition, led him to the manager's chair."What has changed since I last worked at this level is the philosophy of the game, money has changed the game. The criticism after the Norway game was of a lack of creativity - one thing Matty has in abundance is creativity."Merrington was a defender with Burnley until injury finished his career at 27 He later returned as a coach to Jimmy Adamson. He has been fantastic for me as a player and as a person."Le Tissier is having a quiet period at the moment. "Some people say he does not work hard enough and some times he does not He was like that as a boy. The first impression is he needs to do more, but some of the things he does, the goals he scores... He has a touch of genius."I understand the England manager's dilemma in trying to pick the best squad.