Riise fluke will energise Blues
MANCHESTER UNITED have not won at Stamford Bridge since April 2002. They have not scored there since Ryan Giggs notched the second in a 2-2 draw the following August. Going backwards from last season, their results have been 0-0, 0-3, 0-0 (League Cup), 0-1 and 0-1.
Not the most encouraging news at a time when United appear to be staggering towards the title finishing line. Like the bloke who has enjoyed an exceedingly good night out, they know the way home but the personal sat-nav is a little on the blink. But they are going to have to sober up by Saturday. Or else Chelsea will beat them and produce a communal anxiety attack all the way from Gatley to Guildford.
The Red Devils have been swaggering around Europe and lording it in the Premier League all season. They have been a delight to watch and have drawn applause and appreciation everywhere they go. Well, if a week is a long time in politics, two days is an eternity in football. Because that is the speed with which the epic confrontation between the Premier League’s top two at the Bridge has taken on a totally different dimension.
Before Tuesday night’s events at Anfield, few doubted United’s ability to salvage at least a point tomorrow and, to all intents and purposes, close out the title race. In fact, that was still the prevailing thought after 94 minutes and 39 seconds of Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final first-leg clash with Liverpool.
Then came the John Arne Riise own goal — and the whole dynamic changed. That it was a huge stroke of luck — nothing more than a fluke — is now neither here nor there. What it has done is send a huge adrenalin rush through everyone at Chelsea. A belief they can still catch United has not so much been rekindled as sparked into a huge, blazing fire.
Yes, they will not be able to call on midfielder Frank Lampard. But even without him, Chelsea will be more than enough of a proposition for United, their ranks reinforced by the return from suspension of Michael Essien. After a massively disappointing game at Anfield, Joe Cole will certainly be hell-bent on producing a performance on Saturday.
The same goes for striker Didier Drogba, who got nothing out of Jamie Carragher — and a flea in the ear from a mocking Kop for all his theatrics. Chelsea, in fact, will be more ‘up’ for this game than any other this season. Four days later comes the return with Liverpool. Again at the Bridge, the Fort Knox of football.
Two home games that could define a season — on a pitch where they have not been beaten for EIGHTY league matches. Some 24 hours after Chelsea got out of jail at Anfield, United scrapped their way to a goalless draw at the Nou Camp.
Since Barcelona should have won, United will be happy enough. And yet there was a lethargy about the display that suggested the Herculean effort it had taken to beat Arsenal — sandwiched either side by two strength-sapping draws at Boro and Blackburn — might be taking its toll.
Yes, there were fine individual exhibitions from Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick and, in the first half, Cristiano Ronaldo. But as a team effort it fell short of what Alex Ferguson was looking for. Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez were uncharacteristically quiet in what one regular United watcher called a bit of a return to the bad, old days.
Poor ball retention and scarcely a shot to worry Victor Valdes. If United’s performance did anything, it was to make Barca believe they can win the tie. Now United head for West London and a hugely physical battle with outstanding athletes like Essien, Drogba, John Obi Mikel, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and Claude Makelele.
It is precisely the sort of game they DON’T want.
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