Title Showdown

Surely Manchester United don’t blow 15 point leads? With all the talk about Arsenal self-destructing and Fernando Torres fluffing his lines at Stamford Bridge, this is the question that nobody felt it was worth asking. Until now. As it turns out, the trials and tribulations of Chelsea’s new £50m striker and their Champions League exit at the hands of United have provided a wonderful smokescreen for their charge through the pack. Ferguson’s side may still be 1/4 favourites to claim a record 19th title, but those odds were as short as 1/20 with some firms just a week or so ago.

Chelsea still need to repeat their trick of last season and win at Old Trafford on Sunday. They are 9/4 with VictorChandler to get the three points that would take them back to the summit on goal difference with two games remaining. Midfield enforcer Michael Essien has pointed out, in his own unique way, that Chelsea would be home and hosed by now, if it wasn’t for their major mid-season dip in form.

“To use a sandwich analogy: sweet bread at the top, sour filling, and more sweet bread at the bottom.”

That’s Chelsea’s season in a lunch, albeit a slightly odd one. But before Blues fans get too excited they should remember that the Red Devils have an imperious home record of 16 wins, 1 draw and no defeats in the league this season. Two more United triumphs at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ this season would equal Chelsea’s record of 55 points claimed at home in 2005/06. Ferguson’s side are 7/5 to win again on Sunday.

Those who believe that Hollywood and the English Premier League have plenty in common may want to back Torres as first goalscorer at 7/1 with Boylesports. That would go some way to repaying a hefty slice of his British record transfer fee, but it may prove difficult if the Spaniard starts the game on the bench, as many are predicting. William Hill make Didier Drogba available at the same price, which could attract a few more suitors. For United, the usual suspects of Rooney and Hernandez are both on offer at 11/2 with the same firm.