Chelsea strengthen title claim with win vs. rival Manchester United
LONDON -- That, surely, is it. Any doubt that Chelsea would win the Premier League vanished with a victory that highlighted the pragmatism in which Jose Mourinho specializes: Chelsea's lead now is 10 points over Arsenal with six games of the season remaining for both. Manchester United have played a game more, and are a point behind Arsenal.
Others may, at their best, play prettier football, but Chelsea have been far the most consistent side this season, grinding out results even while struggling for rhythm. In recent months Chelsea have looked weary and have played without the verve of October and November, and yet they have remained remorseless.
Nobody could realistically claim Chelsea have been in top form this year, but since losing to Tottenham on New Year's Day, they have dropped only six points in the league. This was the twentieth straight game in which they scored the first goal.
''They had the better possession,'' Chelsea captain John Terry said. ''We have not been playing as well as we can of late ... we were in our best form early on in the season and just before Christmas.''
The performances of the early part of the season got Chelsea into a position from which it could play in the way Mourinho is most comfortable playing. His side sat deep, held United at arm's length and waited for the opening. It is one of Mournho's recurrent mantras that all sides, eventually, make a mistake. His teams are ruthless in capitalizing.
Mourinho's team selection gave an indication of his mindset. As United have won six in a row, Marouane Fellaini has played a key role, clanking forward from the left side of central midfield to batter holes in the opposition. Part of the fascination of recent United games has been seeing how opposing managers try to stop him.
Mourinho's option was to deploy Kurt Zouma in midfield alongside Nemanja Matic. Zouma and right-back Branislav Ivanovoic managed to stifle the Belgian's threat as effectively as anybody has in open play this seaosn, but from set-pieces it was Matic who tended to pick up Fellaini, something at which he was notably successful.
With Cesc Fabregas at the front of the midfield triangle, Oscar, slightly surprisingly, was used on right instead of Willian. His tendency to drift infield meant Luke Shaw, recalled at left-back for United, often had space in front of him to drive into, but it was from a central role that he had a decisive influence over the game.
With Michael Carrick and Daley Blind both injured, United were left without a ball-playing deep-lying midfield. Louis Van Gaal selected Ander Herrera to operate there, with Wayne Rooney taking his place on the right side of midfield and Radamel Falcao coming in at center-forward.
Coming from that deep position, Rooney very nearly gave United a fourth-minute lead, side-footing Shaw's cut-back just wide from the edge of the box.
United had the bulk of possession in the early stages, but that Rooney shot was a rare chance. Chelsea sat off and waited for the mistake. It nearly came after 35 minutes as De Gea was fortunate to get away with handling just outside his box as Chelsea broke. Antonio Valencia blocked the linesman's view and referee Mike Dean was at the wrong angle to make a judgement.
That was a sign that the balance of the game was tipping from United to Chelsea and, three minutes later, the home side took the lead. Falcao was dispossessed by Terry, Fabregas helped it on to Oscar, who set Eden Hazard in with a neat backheel.
Hazard has been Chelsea's best player this season, at times carrying the creative burden almost single-handedly, and he showed admirable composure to slip a finish between the legs of De Gea.
Nine minutes into the second half there was a second mistake, but on that occasion Chelsea couldn't take advantage. Herrera's misplaced pass presented possession to Matic, who set Drogba clean through. His shot was deflected over De Gea and Hazard, charging in at the back post, leaping, jabbed a volley from a narrow angle against the woodwork.
United pressed, had 75 pecent of second-half possession, brought on Angel Di Maria and Adnan Januzaj and also hit the post when Falcao ran on to Shaw's pass with 13 minutes remaining.
''When you can play at Chelsea as the dominant team, I am very happy,'' Van Gaal said. ''But I am very disappointed.''
Chelsea made a habit earlier in the season -- including at Old Trafford -- of conceding late equalizers, but this time there was no slip-up.
Mourinho has always been a fine front-runner and he's proved that again. This was a superlative defensive performance and the only question now is when they will win the title.
"Three more points," Mourinho said. "Before the game we needed 11. In this moment we need eight.
Two more victories would be enough: With a win against Arsenal, the title could be sealed at Leicester on April 29 with four games of the season remaining.
