>
>
Manchester United host Chelsea on Sunday afternoon in arguably the biggest game of the Premier League season so far.
After United’s defeat to Arsenal last weekend, Chelsea – who have hit form at just the right time – are only three points behind the current league leaders and could go top with three points.
This is a dramatic turnaround for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who were all but ruled out of the title race a few weeks ago. The Italian even had to fight for his job according to some.
Of course he is far from certain to be Chelsea manager next season, as is the pressure at such a high-profile club, but winning the Premier League from nowhere would certainly do him no harm.
All of this makes Sunday’s game a massive occasion for both teams. There are still two games to play afterwards, but to say it is somewhat of a title decider would be bang on the money.
It certainly would be if Manchester United secured three points. If they win, the title is theirs. It would increase the gap to six points with two games to play.
Should Chelsea pick up the win, it would likely take things down to the last two games of the season, with potentially goal difference as the decisive factor.
Neutrals therefore might be rooting for an away win. It would make it the most exciting title race for a while and mean there is an incredible amount to play for right until the very end.
Sir Alex Ferguson would be happy to disappoint people wanting this though. He knows how big a game it is, the fact he rested key players in a Champions League semi-final proves this, but he will keep his team calm.
It has been a trait of Ferguson’s team over the years that they have performed on the big occasion, with the high-profile players raising their game at just the right time.
As for Chelsea, they will see this as a massive opportunity to prove their doubters wrong. They have been criticised plenty of times this year, but things are clicking well right now and they still have a chance of defending their title.
Looking at the team news for this one, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs Nemanja Vidic and Javier Hernandez are all set to come back in for the hosts after missing last night’s 4-1 victory over Schalke 04.
As for Chelsea, Ancelotti’s biggest decision will once again be whether to include Fernando Torres in his starting eleven. Didier Drogba has been in good form of late, so the likelihood is that the former Liverpool striker will have to settle for a place on the bench.
Regardless of who plays though, this is the time when both teams need to show their best form. This is what the title race boils down too. What a massive and fascinating occasion for all concerned.
