EPL title race heats up as Chelsea loses at United
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China Daily, April 17, 2017
 |
|
Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic in action with Chelsea's Gary Cahill during an English Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea in Old Trafford Stadium, Britain on April 16, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] |
A tactical masterclass from Jose Mourinho ensured the path to the English Premier League title will no longer be a procession for his former club, Chelsea.
Only four points separate Chelsea and second-placed Tottenham with six games left after Manchester United's 2-0 win over the lackluster leaders opened up the title race on Sunday. At one stage four weeks ago after a 2-1 win over Stoke, Chelsea held a 13-point lead.
It was a signature win for Mourinho near the end of his first season at United. He detailed Ander Herrera and Matteo Darmian to man-mark Chelsea forwards Eden Hazard and Pedro Rodriguez, made the bold call to start Marcus Rashford ahead of top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and played two youngsters — Rashford and winger Jesse Lingard — up front in a surprise move.
The decisions paid off brilliantly, with Rashford and Herrera scoring the goals and being the star performers at Old Trafford. Chelsea didn't have a shot on target in a league game for the first time in nearly a decade. Hazard barely had a meaningful touch.
"I think it was almost perfect," Herrera said.
Chelsea might be starting to wobble. This loss came 15 days after a 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, while Spurs have won seven straight league games — scoring 22 goals in the process.
Chelsea's only tough remaining game appears to be a trip to Everton on April 30, and it could hardly ask for four better fixtures to finish the season: Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion, Watford and Sunderland.
Still, the pressure is certainly on the leaders now.
"We have to think that there are six finals from now until the end," Conte said. "The league is open and we have a 50 percent (chance) to win the league."United was playing between two games against Anderlecht in the Europa League quarterfinals, with many pundits suggesting Mourinho's focus had switched to earning Champions League qualification through winning the European competition.
Dropping Ibrahimovic - United's top scorer this season with 28 goals - was another sign of that, but Mourinho insisted he wasn't prioritizing.
United moved back into fifth place, four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City with a game in hand. The Manchester rivals meet at City's Etihad Stadium on April 27.
Liverpool, which beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 away in Sunday's other game, is six points clear of United in third place but has played two more matches.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)