Soccer:Roy Keane says the Premier League will be a one-horse race with his old club Manchester United in charge yet again. The former Republic of Ireland and United captain says Sir Alex Ferguson's men will top the standings "comfortably" come next May, and has dismissed the hopes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

The Irish soccer icon, who played in a charity match for the United legends side beaten 5-2 by their Celtic counterparts last night, believes that the only team that can realistically threaten Old Trafford domination is their bitter local rivals, the big-spending Manchester City.

Keane told an English newspaper: “Sir Alex Ferguson said the other day the league’s getting tougher but I don’t think so. If United are really at it, which they will be, they’ll win it comfortably. Even last year when United were slipping up, no team was strong enough to take advantage of it.”

Chelsea, with new boss Andre Villas-Boas now at the helm, are seen by many as the biggest threat to United’s dominance but Keane maintains that the Portuguese won’t be able to get them to the top of the pile. “The players down there, they all seem to self-destruct. They’re big pals one minute and the next you hear they’re all bickering with each other and players aren’t happy if someone else scores.

Keane also gave short shrift to the hopes of Arsenal (“they haven't really bought anybody”) and Liverpool (“in no position to win the league, nowhere near”. Having dismissed those challengers, it’s Roberto Mancini’s City who are the only ones left standing as realistic rivals for the Red Devils in Keane’s eyes.

“I don’t think the current City group see United as a machine that can’t be stopped. Beating United at Wembley (in the FA Cup semi-final) was a milestone for them. They’ve been close to getting results over United in the last few years. When a team is spending that sort of money and bringing in the quality they have, then they are a threat.”