Too close to call in the Premier League

Paul Scholes

Form

I honestly thought that after yesterday’s games the title would all but be Chelsea’s. Going into the games with a four point lead I fully expected Chelsea to win at Tottenham and form and momentum suggested that Manchester United would be beaten at Manchester City.

The league table would have then shown Chelsea seven points clear with just three games to go. In the race for fourth place, Manchester City would have had a four point lead over Tottenham and they would be almost certainties for Champions League football.

Script

Of course, one of the reasons we all love football so much is that the teams on the field very rarely follow the script!

United beat City with an injury-time goal from Paul Scholes. The midfield maestro turned the clock back ten years as he arrived in the box at the perfect time and then flashed an unstoppable header into the corner of the net. Whilst being ecstatic with the goal and the win, Scholesy may have regretted his actions when he was rewarded with a kiss from Gary Neville!

Worthy

So Chelsea went into their game at Tottenham knowing that United had closed the gap to one point. It was time for their big players to show why they would be worthy champions. That just didn’t happen.

Michael Dawson had Didier Drogba in his pocket for the whole game. In the midfield, Frank Lampard was given a lesson in midfield play by Modric and at the back, John Terry produced one of those snarling, unpleasant performances that show why it is right that he is no longer England captain.

Value

Tottenham were good value for their 2-1 win and in Gareth Bale, they have one of the best players in the Premier League at this time. Why does he have to be Welsh? How can the Welsh have had Giggs and Bale whilst England have had nobody on the left?

The end result of those games yesterday means that the race for the title and the race for the fourth Champions League spot are both still wide open and that is great for the neutral.

Difficult

Chelsea lead by just a point and yesterday will have been damaging for them in more ways than one. The psychological effect of seeing United’s late, late winner, together with the sending-off off of their skipper and the way that Tottenham out-played them, will all make things difficult. For United, after a poor run and looking to be out of it, yesterday will have totally revitalised them.

Tottenham are two points clear of City in fourth place and after wins over Arsenal and Chelsea, it is difficult to see anyone stopping them. Having said that, they have a little matter of a trip to Old Trafford next week. That game might be the saving grace for either Chelsea or Manchester City.

Predict

Whatever happens, it is great to see things being so close and to keep the excitement going right to the end of the season. The Premier League has been good this year and it will go right down to the wire. I’m not going to predict anything because it just isn’t possible.