Alex Ferguson's bid to avoid two years without a trophy faces an 11-day examination that could make or break Manchester United's season.

United play Liverpool, Newcastle United and Arsenal in the premier league and Real Madrid in the Champions League between this Saturday and April 16.

"It is going to be a big month. Liverpool at home, Newcastle and Arsenal away," said Ferguson, whose team have beaten all three of their rivals in the league this season.

"They are fantastic games and we have a quarter-final of the Champions League in between."

Arsenal's recent defeat by Blackburn Rovers has left United just two points behind the title holders with seven games left.

Victories over Liverpool and Newcastle will ensure United move at least one point in front of the leaders if they then win at Highbury on April 16.

"If we win our remaining games we win the league," Ferguson said. "It's not quite as easy as that, but that's the factual situation.

"It's not easy at the end of the season, points can be dropped. But the important thing is that we don't drop as many points as our opponents, and if we do that then we have a chance."

The task starts as early as Saturday's match against Liverpool, with Gerard Houllier's side having won their previous three premier league games to end a poor run of results.

Liverpool appear to have the measure of their rivals. United's only win in the last seven meetings over the past three seasons came at Anfield in December and Liverpool beat United 2-0 in the League Cup final a month ago.

UNDER PRESSURE

Newcastle were soundly beaten 5-3 at Old Trafford in November but have lost just once at home this season, winning 14 of their 16 games in the process.

"I think there is pressure on everyone at the top," Ferguson said. "Newcastle, you have got to remember, are on that inside rail and coming up there.

"You have got to be careful of them but I think the most important thing for us to do is to keep on doing our job and I think we are doing that well now."

If United do come through those two games unbeaten the title could be decided at Arsenal -- a team with as an impressive home record as Newcastle.

United last won at Highbury in 1999 and were distinctly second best when Arsene Wenger's men won 2-0 at Old Trafford in the FA Cup in February.

Ferguson has already tried his annual mind games on Arsenal by claiming the title holders are over-confident, and more rhetoric can be expected as the game approaches.

United will be boosted by the return of captain Roy Keane, although the midfielder appears to have lost some of his inspirational qualities in his new defensive role.

Juan Sebastian Veron is also closing in on full fitness for the first time since damaging a knee in the defeat of Leeds United on March 5.

In between the Liverpool and Newcastle matches, United face Real Madrid in Spain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Ferguson says United are at their best when matches come thick and fast, using the treble-winning season of 1999 as an example.

The following year United lost out to Madrid in Europe and Ferguson says his side have learned from that experience. "Three years ago when we met them I think we played with our hearts and not our heads. It ended up a disappointing night for us.

"The first leg is away. It's a situation where we have got to score. If we can get a couple of goals there then it would be a marvellous boost going back to Old Trafford."

Failure to secure an away goal, as United did when drawing 0-0 in the Bernabeu when the sides last met, could spell the end of Ferguson's dream of lifting the trophy at Old Trafford on May 28.