Thirty-seven games and nine months of high-intensity, high-quality league football have all led up to this. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton are ready for the end game...And the most pleasant way for that to come about would be a high-tempo start with plenty of early chances created - and taken.The prize is, of course, a great one. Can Carlo Ancelotti emulate José Mourinho by winning the Barclays Premier League title in his first season? It would be the third time in six years for Chelsea - unimaginable to anyone who sat through the 2-2 FA Cup draw against this Sunday's visitors 25 years ago.
In 2008, when the positions were reversed on the final day, United, leading the table only on goal difference, needed to match or better Chelsea's result at home to Bolton.
The Red Devils were playing Wigan, whose chairman Dave Whelan announced beforehand, 'There is nothing we would like more than to roll United over. [They] have got one hell of a fight on their hands.'In the event The Big Mo came down in Sir Alex Ferguson's favour. After a clear handball in the box by Rio Ferdinand went unpunished, Emmerson Boyce brought down Rooney for a penalty, converted by Ronaldo.As is customary, Paul Scholes might well have been dismissed for a second yellow and Emile Heskey headed over from close range before Ryan Giggs made it 2-0 with ten minutes remaining. Chelsea had gone ahead through Andriy Shevchenko 20 minutes earlier but conceded in the dying moments to finish 1-1.The two games in the tightest championship race since that day will be televised live simultaneously. The real Premier League trophy, designed by the jewellers Asprey of London, will be at one stadium, a replica at the other.United will be hoping that in this most unpredictable league campaign one more twist will deliver them a fourth consecutive championship. The chairman and players of Wigan, who beat Chelsea 3-1 at the DW Stadium in September, are making plenty of noise to the effect that they would like to do their neighbours a favour.All well and good - this Chelsea side is often at its best when faced with feisty opponents, especially at home. Never the less, following Emile Heskey's late heartbreaker here two seasons ago, it was reassuring to see Wigan getting their last-minute equaliser out of the way against Hull on Monday.
Chelsea will also be all out to avenge that shock defeat earlier this season. They will know where it went wrong. After a shaky start Wigan dominated the area in front of Chelsea's back four, with Jason Scotland having arguably his best afternoon in a Wigan shirt.
Most trouble came down the centre-left, with Hugo Rodallega threatening to run riot with his surging runs down and full-back Maynor Figueroa an able support act, swamping Chelsea right-back José Bosingwa.Chelsea had plenty of openings but were spendthrift in front of goal and paid the full price. Soon after Didier Drogba had beaten Chris Kirkland for a second-half equaliser, Petr Cech connected with Rodallega in the box and referee Phil Dowd decided to dismiss the infuriated Czech 'keeper. TALKING POINTS
Carlo Ancelotti's men won convincingly last weekend on an Anfield turf that has brought more Premier League pain than any other but, as Blackadder might say, this weekend against struggling Wigan there must be no room prepared at home for Mr Complacency.
A one-point advantage over Manchester United means that Chelsea need only match or better the Red Devils' result to wrest their crown for the first time since 2006.Everyone knows that the best approach is to go all out for a decisive victory, rendering United's efforts at home, to a Stoke side including some players 'training in their flip-flops,' redundant.
The Red Devils were playing Wigan, whose chairman Dave Whelan announced beforehand, 'There is nothing we would like more than to roll United over. [They] have got one hell of a fight on their hands.'In the event The Big Mo came down in Sir Alex Ferguson's favour. After a clear handball in the box by Rio Ferdinand went unpunished, Emmerson Boyce brought down Rooney for a penalty, converted by Ronaldo.As is customary, Paul Scholes might well have been dismissed for a second yellow and Emile Heskey headed over from close range before Ryan Giggs made it 2-0 with ten minutes remaining. Chelsea had gone ahead through Andriy Shevchenko 20 minutes earlier but conceded in the dying moments to finish 1-1.The two games in the tightest championship race since that day will be televised live simultaneously. The real Premier League trophy, designed by the jewellers Asprey of London, will be at one stadium, a replica at the other.United will be hoping that in this most unpredictable league campaign one more twist will deliver them a fourth consecutive championship. The chairman and players of Wigan, who beat Chelsea 3-1 at the DW Stadium in September, are making plenty of noise to the effect that they would like to do their neighbours a favour.All well and good - this Chelsea side is often at its best when faced with feisty opponents, especially at home. Never the less, following Emile Heskey's late heartbreaker here two seasons ago, it was reassuring to see Wigan getting their last-minute equaliser out of the way against Hull on Monday.
Chelsea will also be all out to avenge that shock defeat earlier this season. They will know where it went wrong. After a shaky start Wigan dominated the area in front of Chelsea's back four, with Jason Scotland having arguably his best afternoon in a Wigan shirt.
Most trouble came down the centre-left, with Hugo Rodallega threatening to run riot with his surging runs down and full-back Maynor Figueroa an able support act, swamping Chelsea right-back José Bosingwa.Chelsea had plenty of openings but were spendthrift in front of goal and paid the full price. Soon after Didier Drogba had beaten Chris Kirkland for a second-half equaliser, Petr Cech connected with Rodallega in the box and referee Phil Dowd decided to dismiss the infuriated Czech 'keeper.Rodallega converted the penalty and the ten-man Blues, desperately chasing an equaliser, were punished with a last-minute third for Paul Scharner, who was used in an attacking midfield role.It was the first time the Latics had ever beaten a 'big four' side, and brought Chelsea's 11-game winning streak to a shock halt. More recently Roberto Martinez's side have seen off Liverpool and Arsenal - also at home.Their record against more successful sides away is far less impressive. They lost 0-4 at the Emirates, 1-2 at Anfield, 0-5 at Old Trafford and at White Hart Lane, don't forget, shipped an extraordinary nine goals.
The Lancastrians do not like the capital one bit. On their last trip to fellow strugglers West Ham they lost 2-3, bringing their total of goals conceded to 31 over ten defeats in all competitions in the Smoke.In fact, the Latics' are the least in-form away side in the Premier League, worse than Hull, West Ham, Bolton and Burnley. They have lost the last five on their travels, scoring three and conceding 13 over the duration (including four at Bolton). Overall, outside the DW Stadium they have only scored 18 but conceded an unhealthy 47 - 2.6 per game.In contrast, Carlo Ancelotti's men are defending the league's best home record, including a goals-for tally of 60 (3.3 per game) with 14 for the visitors. That is 11 more than the 'great entertainers' Barcelona (who have played one game fewer), and 22 more than José Mourinho's Inter and 21 more than their Champions League final opponents Bayern Munich.Only two teams, Everton and Manchester City, have taken points away from fortress Stamford Bridge. The Blues' last four home matches have produced a quartet of wins and an aggregate scoreline of 19-2. Such is the task required of Wigan if they are to gratify their Mancunian friends.Chelsea have beaten the same side home and away ten times this season (two short of our 2004/5 record, 12). That includes a clean sweep of wins over the others from last season's top four. No other side has managed that feat in the history of the Premier League.
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