Malouda: Fast Out The Block

Florent Malouda's impact on the season continues unabated and the creator of the first goal against Manchester United adds to the match analysis by discussing the strategy at the start of the game.

The left winger's strong run, shrugging off challenges from Antonio Valencia and Darren Fletcher before he crossed for Joe Cole's crafty finish, was the culmination of 20 minutes of good possession football by the visitors, but it was possession football played at a high tempo as Malouda explains:

'When a team is playing in a Champions League game it gives a lot of energy. That is why we started the game against Manchester United quickly because we knew that if we played with high intensity, they could have some problems having played midweek.

'We tried to control the game when we had the ball and with the runs and the problems we caused them, I think they were more tired than us in the first half.

'It was more difficult in the second half,' he admits. 'It was a really tough game but we played really well and for us it means a lot after the bad week we had 10 days ago. We reacted in the best way.

'After the game everybody was really tired but if we can play the same way until the end of the season there will be no problem.'

It has been unusual for Malouda not to be looking for Didier Drogba's runs inside and ahead of him at the start of the past two games. He was not surprised to see the big striker make an instant impact when he was eventually called from the bench.

'Didier reacted in the perfect way,' Malouda says. 'We have a strong squad and we know we are at the top because we have scored a lot of goals with and without Didier. Last week we won against Villa so the manager gave starts to the same team and Didier fully understands that.'

Malouda and Drogba have known each other well since they were team-mates at Guingamp seven years ago and Drogba is delighted England is seeing the football from Malouda that gave him such a big reputation in France.

'Everybody recognises his talent now,' Drogba says. 'It has been difficult for him to change leagues and also he had quite a few injuries at first but every time he has played this season he was good.

'He is not the type of player who will do many skills but he is really efficient, with simple touches, passes, assists, and he is clever. He reads the game well and that is the kind of player we need in our squad.'

Zhirkov: It's Not Over Yet

Yuri Zhirkov insists it is 'far too early' for Chelsea to believe they will be Premier League champions after returning to the top of the table.

Chelsea's impressive 2-1 win at Manchester United at the weekend lifted Carlo Ancelotti's side two points clear of their title rivals with five games left to play.

The Blues are now favourites to be crowned champions for the first time since 2006, but Zhirkov is not taking success for granted.

With tricky away games against Tottenham and Liverpool on the horizon, Russian full-back Zhirkov is aware there is still work to do for Chelsea to beat United and Arsenal to the top-flight crown.

"It is far too early to become deluded," said Zhirkov in The Sun. "The champion's race continues.

"We have some hard games ahead - particularly those against Liverpool and Tottenham. We are determined to win our remaining games."

Zhirkov was also critical of Antonio Valencia's tactics during his battle with the United winger at Old Trafford.

He said: "He is a very strong player, but uses his hands too often. He kept tugging and pushing me."

Chelsea Eye Fresh £45m Bid For Unsettled AC Milan Striker Alexandre Pato

Alexandre Pato is mulling over his future at AC Milan as Chelsea and Real Madrid consider a move for the Brazil striker.

The 20-year-old resisted £45million interest from Stamford Bridge last summer and insisted he was happy at the San Siro, but a disappointing season for both him and Leonardo's side has changed the landscape.

Pato is reportedly ready to ditch his agent Gilmar Veloz and could turn to Mino Raiola, the Italian who last summer secured lucrative moves to Barcelona for Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Maxwell.

'Real Madrid and Chelsea are following the player (Pato),' said Raiola. 'Obviously his transfer is not certain, but the guy is unhappy with the situation at Milan, where they won't win a title this year.'

Milan are only three points behind leaders Inter with six games to play in Serie A, but few would back the inconsistent side to win their first championship since 2004.

The Italian giants are considering a number of changes, which could lead to the departures of coach Leonardo and fellow Brazilian Ronaldinho, followed by the reconfiguration of their attack.

Milan could be priced out of a move for Chelsea and Manchester City target Edin Dzeko, but are interested in Anderlecht wonderkid Romelu Lukaku and Stuttgart striker Cacau, who is wanted by Blackburn.

Reports in Spain suggest Milan could use Madrid's interest in Pato to go for a swap deal with France striker Karim Benzema, who has struggled since a summer move from Lyon.

Pato is one of the brightest young talents in world football, but an injury-interrupted season has seen his form and star fall at the San Siro.

Nonetheless, he was voted 2009 Young Player of the Year for Serie A and has notched 14 goals in 25 games this season.

Raiola may have his own agenda for pushing Pato out of Milan. The agent also represents Italy Under 21 striker Mario Balotelli, who has been tipped to leave Inter for their city rivals after falling out with Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea Youngsters Bruma & Van Aanholt Tipped To Make Dutch World Cup Squad

Reports in Holland today have claimed that Chelsea’s highly-rated pair of young defenders, Jeffrey Bruma and Patrick van Aanholt , could be heading to the World Cup in South Africa.

Despite the fact Bruma and van Aanholt have yet to establish themselves in Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea first team, they could be heading to the World Cup to gain experience.

Holland’s official preparation for the World Cup begins on May 6 and Bert van Marwijk is planning to call up players to try out in the friendlies in the lead up to South Africa.

Jeffrey Bruma has made two substitute appearances for Chelsea in the Premier League this season.

Patrick van Aanholt has had spells at Coventry and Newcastle on loan this season and has also made two substitute Premier League appearances for Chelsea in 2009/2010.

Ron Harris Still Making His Presence Felt At Stamford Bridge

It is the day after a Champions League encounter in which Manchester United's Nani has worn a pair of boots that can only be described as lilac-coloured, with peach detailing.

So it seems only appropriate to ask Ron Harris, the man universally known as Chopper, if he had ever worn boots of that nature during his 21-year career at Chelsea.

The full-back whose uncompromising muscularity was a feature of the Blues' back line for a record 795 games, narrows his eyes and shoots his questioner the sort of look that must have persuaded many a winger in the Seventies that getting on the wrong side of Chopper was really not a good idea.

"What do you think?" he growls. "Looking at them boots they wear today and them gloves and all that, I think, 'Blimey football: it used to be a man's game, didn't it?' And don't get me started on tackling. I mean, this law about sending off someone if they show their studs in the tackle. Excuse me, if you slide in how are you not going to show your studs? It's not physically possible."

Ron Harris is exactly as you might hope him to be. While other sportsmen have a persona that is mere construct, Harris remains Chopper still: unwavering, tougher than teak, no more likely to shirk a question than he would a challenge. Plus, as he proves while taking The Daily Telegraph round his old haunts at Stamford Bridge, immensely good value.

He is giving us a sampler of a special, sold-out Legends Tour he is conducting to celebrate the 40th anniversary of when he became the first Chelsea captain to lift the FA Cup in 1970.

"I know, 40 years where did it go?" he says, as we sit in the Shed End. "Met a fella from Norway the other day and he said he'd seen me lift the Cup when he was only eight. And I looked at him, saw this middle-aged fella looking back at me and I thought: no disrespect or anything, but how could that be possible? How did he get that old in that time? Because honestly, when I sit down and talk about it, it seems like yesterday."

In truth, as Ron stands alongside the picture of himself in his heyday which is displayed on the wall at the back of the Shed, you can see his point: it does not seem 40 years since he was lifting the Cup. A pound or two heavier, maybe, but he appears to be much as he was then: the gap-toothed smile, the neat mod hair, the thousand-yard stare. And a forthrightness that would have a modern football club press office reaching for the smelling salts.

"People always ask me if I'm envious of the money they earn today and tell you what, I am," he says. "Most I ever earned was £295 a week here. I still have to work for my living and there's no way most of these fellas will have to work into their old age. Fair play, some of them deserve the money.

"But I was watching West Ham here the other day and I tell you what, they was an absolute disgrace. Poor old Bobby Moore would have turned in his grave if he'd had to watch that. Some of them fellas earning £40,000-50,000 a week, I'd have been embarrassed to pick up my wages if I played like that. In all honesty, I'd have done a much better job than either of their full-backs. And I'm 65."

It is not just the players' wages that have changed at Stamford Bridge. When Ron first played there, most of the place was open terraces and the North Stand was so rickety it would shake when the tube trains went past. Now there are hotels, fine-dining destinations, leather seats in the dugouts. Plus, in the corporate hospitality zone, there is the Ron Harris Suite.

"They look after the old players here," he says. "And I'd do anything for the club. Twenty-one years I was here and I owe them everything. Whenever they ask me to do something I'm here on time. I've never been late for anything in my life. Except the odd tackle."

It hasn't always been like that, however. "Nah, under Roman Abramovich it all changed for the good," he says. "Before that, under the previous regime, we old-timers never got the time of day. I'm not going to mention the fella in charge by name, but he's chairman of Leeds now."

Leeds: rarely can the word be invested with the venom it is by Harris. For him, they were the true enemy.

"There was no love lost," he smiles. "I reckon if Leeds played here now, there'd still be that feeling, that rivalry. It's your classic north v south, basically. Actually, in all honesty, you look at their side in my day and they didn't win what they deserved. They were a good side. Don't know why, but there seemed to be something about them that failed at the final hurdle. And I guess we were part of that in 1970."

The two clubs met in the final at Wembley that year as early as April 11, the date brought forward to allow England time to prepare to defend the World Cup in Mexico. The first game was a draw, played on a terrible surface cut to pieces by the Horse of the Year Show. It was not an encounter which helped relations between the two rivals: the tackles were eye-watering. By the time of the replay at Old Trafford a fortnight later, Chelsea had a game plan.

"Eddie Gray had given Dave Webb a real chasing at Wembley," says Harris. "So for the replay, we swapped flanks and I took Gray. Dave [Sexton, the manager] had a word with me before the game and said, 'If you get half a chance to rough Gray up a little, take it'. I took it after all of eight minutes. Thought that was nice of me to give him eight minutes."

That final represented a clash of philosophies: paranoid Don Revie's brusque Yorkshiremen against the flash cockney swagger of the King's Road wide boys.

"Yeah, this was the centre of the universe in the Sixties," Harris says. "Or at least it felt like it. When I first joined, in the players' lounge there was people like Arthur Askey. Then Dickie Attenborough got involved and he started bringing the film stars down, Steve McQueen, Raquel Welch. Everyone wanted to be seen here. Don't suppose you got that at Leeds."

But if Chelsea represented the swish of trendy London, there was nothing soft about them. Especially not their captain.

"In them days, every team had their kicker. There was Norman Hunter at Leeds, Nobby Stiles at Man United, Peter Storey at Arsenal. And me at Chelsea. Funnily enough I never come across any of the others on the pitch. We tended to stick to our own halves, so we didn't usually meet.

"I remember Ossie [Peter Osgood] getting the hump with me once. We're in the tunnel lining up before a game against Leeds and I'd been giving it verbals, winding up Norman or someone. Ossie says to me 'It's all very well you giving it all that, it's me they end up taking it out on'."

If he was angry, the animosity did not last long: Osgood, who died in 2006, was always Harris's best mate in the Chelsea team. "I miss Ossie," he says. "What a gent. At his funeral, all the lads were there and, I know it was a sad day, but we had such a laugh. Just remembering the strokes Ossie used to pull. You wouldn't believe it what that lad got up to. You could never ever do that now."

It was Osgood whose diving header of an equaliser put Chelsea on course for victory in the Cup final replay. "We were a little fortunate to get out of jail in the first game, even in the replay we were 1-0 down with 20 minutes to go. But once Ossie equalised, you could see in their eyes they'd gone. You could see them think, 'Here we go again'. Our lads sensed it was only a matter of time. And when Webby scored, I kind of knew it was our destiny."

Receiving the Cup, Harris says, is without question his finest moment. "Mind, I'm not knocking anything to do with Manchester United, it was at Old Trafford and not Wembley," he says. "You dream of climbing them 39 steps to lift the Cup, and I didn't get the chance. We received the Cup on the pitch. Still, what a memory. Old Trafford was always a happy hunting ground for Chelsea. Still is."

The following season, having already become the first Chelsea captain to lift the FA Cup, Harris became the first to lift a European trophy when his side beat Real Madrid to secure the Cup-Winners' Cup (also after a replay). But after that the team were broken up as the club faced financial freefall following the building of the East Stand. Harris was the only one to survive, staying at Stamford Bridge until 1980. Now it is as if he has never been away.

As we complete the tour in a dressing room which, with its acres of polished wood and shelves groaning with male grooming items, has changed somewhat since Harris's days of a big communal bath and a couple of pegs to hang the suit, it leaves us with just one question: does he ever mind the nickname? Descriptive it might be, but it hardly betokens him as a player of panache and skill, does it?

"It's done me proud, has my nickname," he says. "And I tell you what, the ladies like it. That's the first thing they say: 'why did they call you Chopper?'"

And what does he say?

"Nothing. I just smile."

Drogba Eyes Special Triumph

Didier Drogba has set his sights on winning a Premier League title that would feel even more special than the 2006 triumph.

Manchester United have lifted the trophy for three successive seasons since Chelsea last finished top of the table.

Both teams are in the hunt this term, along with Arsenal, but it is the Blues who currently lead the way after winning 2-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Chelsea still have five games to try and win before they can start celebrating but Drogba is determined to see the job through.

"It would mean more for us to win the league now having waited four years to win it back again," explained the striker.

"There are still five games to go and a lot of things can happen. But we're going to do everything to stay there and win this league."

Drogba came off the substitutes' bench to score Chelsea's second against Manchester United and he is delighted to have played a part in such an important victory.

"We're proud of what we did, the desire was so good. This was a very big result and we showed we are a good team and deserved to win.

"But we know we're not there yet. All I know is we want to win it a lot, to prove to people the team we are.

"I've always believed we could do it even though we lost points last month.

"We have some important games coming but we are more determined now."

Drogba concedes that Chelsea's elimination from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Inter Milan in the last 16 might have given them an advantage over their title rivals in the league.

"Going out of the Champions League was not a nice feeling but it helps when you're out to win the league because there are so many games. It means you can stay fresh," he said.

"To come to United thinking we were going to win shows we're determined to take this title. We really want it."

Cole: Whoever Plays We Look Good

Fresh from scoring his first goal in four months it was a happy Joe Cole who spoke after the big win at Old Trafford.

The England international was one of the beneficiaries of Carlo Ancelotti's decisions to keep with the side that had done so well against Aston Villa the previous match and didn't disappoint. He will be hoping that an influential display that paid off his manager's faith and helped send Chelsea back to the top of the league also alerted Fabio Capello to his return to form, especially now an injury to David Beckham has cut the number of experienced options who can play wide on the right.

'You can't talk your way into the England squad,' Cole pointed out after Saturday's 2-1 win, 'but if I am playing regularly for a team fighting for the championship I will have every chance. But my main focus now is Chelsea. It is very important that this club gets back to the summit and I will fight every minute I can to win the league. I felt better on Saturday than I did last week and I am sure next week I will feel even better.

'It has been an up and down season for me,' he admitted.

'Coming back from an injury you need continuous games to get that match sharpness which I haven't had, but I got back into the side against Villa and I just need to do it consistently now to the end of the season.

'When I was coming back from injury I had a good run of games when the boys were away at the African Nations Cup and I felt I was getting my old sharpness back and I was creating goals. Then I picked up a little niggle, lost my place and when you are at a big club you are going to have to fight to get it back, so I have just been working hard. I hope I can keep my place now but the main thing is that Chelsea keep winning.'

Cole described Ancelotti's naming of an unchanged side that meant leaving top scorer Didier Drogba on the bench as a 'bold' move, but one that paid off with Nicolas Anelka's counter-attacking pace a concern for the home side when they pressed forward and Drogba fresh to make an impact late in the game. He also saw an altered formation working well.

'I enjoy playing on the right-hand side and we changed the system in January and things went really well, and now we have also changed the system in the last three games and things have gone really well, but it is more to do with how the boys are focused now and we are looking really good whoever comes into this team.

'You can't come to Old Trafford and play open football, you have to defend well from the front man right through to the goalkeeper.

'It was a tough game, playing against [Patrice] Evra who is one of the best left backs in the world, and we did a lot of defending, especially in the second half, but we were organised and did a good job as a team.

'It puts it back in our own hands which is where we wanted it. Of the five league games left, three are at home and there are some really tough away games. Try to win them is all we can do.'

AC Milan's Dropped Interest In Wolfsburg Striker Edin Dzeko Paves Way For Move To Chelsea

Milan are ready to drop their interest in hotly pursued Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko, with the striker now looking likely to join either Chelsea in the summer, according to the Daily Mail.

The 24-year-old expressed his desire to move to Milan last summer but the Italian giants could not meet his asking price and instead captured striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

The Dutchman's recent good form, which has seen him score six goals since the winter break, has reportedly convinced the Italian side they do not recquire the services of Bosnian Dzeko, who is valued at £25 million.

Huntelaar scored in Milan's 3-2 win at Cagliari, prompting AC Milan sporting director Ariedo Braida to say: "Huntelaar is perfect. He scores and no one can kick like he does, so why should we sell him?"

The asking price is also out of the Serie A giant's price range, but not a problem for interested parties Chelsea and Manchester City.

Furthermore, Dzeko has attempted to distance himself from a move to Milan in recent weeks by inviting interest from elsewhere.

"I never said that I absolutely want Italy," he said, as quoted in the Mail.

"If the right offer comes in then I will say yes."

Chelsea are reportedly looking to strengthen their aging front-line, while City are not convinced with targetman Roque Santa Cruz and need an alternative to Emmanuel Adebayor up front.

Carlo Ancelotti Expects Joe Cole To Sign A New Contract At Chelsea

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is in no doubt that Joe Cole will sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

The England midfielder could leave the west London club on a free transfer in the summer, as his current deal expires at the end of the season. Negotiations are ongoing regarding a new contract, but have yet to yield any positive results.

Nevertheless, Ancelotti is in little doubt that Cole will still be a Chelsea player next season.

"Joe Cole has the same focus as the rest of the team. He wants to play well and wants to win the title," the Italian told reporters after Cole scored in Saturday's 2-1 Premier League victory against Manchester United.

"For him, there is also a desire to go to the World Cup and if he carries on like he did here he will be there.

"Now he has some consistency in his game and that is good for him."

The Italian revealed that it is only financial details holding up the agreement of a new deal, with the club reportedly unwilling to match Cole's desired wage rise from £80,000-a-week to around £100,000. But Ancelotti, who has told the club he wants the midfielder to stay, is certain that will all be sorted in the near future.

"He will definitely sign a new contract. There is no problem, don't worry," he said.

"I've spoken a lot about Joe Cole with my club and everyone has a desire for him to stay at Chelsea and so does he.

"There is not a problem, it is an economical problem nothing else."

Yury Zhirkov Blasts Manchester United's Antonio Valencia, Claims Blues Deserved Win At Old Trafford

Chelsea winger Yury Zhirkov has accused Antonio Valencia of underhand tactics during the Blues' 2-1 win over Manchester United on Saturday.

Zhirkov, who can play as either a winger or a full-back, analysed his side's win over their Premier League rivals at Old Trafford and believes the Blues fully merited their vital victory.

"Without doubt, we created more chances and deserved to win," Zhirkov told Russian newspaper Bobsoccer.

"Manchester United tried very hard because they understand how important the outcome of this match was.

"I played on the left of defense, with hopes of connecting to the attack, but it turned out that I spent almost all the time in defence.

"United tried to put pressure on our goal, but we passed the test with flying colors."

The Russian international's deployment as a full-back during the clash saw him lock horns with the United winger Antonio Valencia, who he believes got away with fouling him throughout the match.

"He's a strong player, without doubt, but all too often he plays with his hands," said the £18 million summer signing from CSKA Moscow.

"He constantly grabbed me, pushed me, particularly when taking the ball back towards goal. The referee, unfortunately, didn't always stop his antics."

Chelsea are now in pole position to win the Premier League title, as the result on Saturday saw them leapfrog two points ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

"Everything now depends on us," Zhirkov said.

"This is an important victory, but we shouldn't be under any illusions.

"By and large, the title race has only just begun. Ahead of us are difficult matches, particularly against Liverpool and Tottenham.

"We're determined to win all our remaining matches and, also, gradually our injured players are returning."

Paulo Ferreira's Freshness Kept Ryan Giggs Pinned Back

The impressive Portuguese full-back was at the heart of Chelsea's dominance against a jaded Manchester United.

Selection and Shape

Chelsea, with no midweek game in Europe, would have gained valuable recovery time for any knocks to clear and Carlo Ancelotti retained the same line-up for the first time this season after the thrashing of Aston Villa. That restricted Didier Drogba to the bench and allowed Nicolas Anelka to roam in isolation up front, though it was no surprise that the busier Deco was preferred to the stronger yet more pedestrian Michael Ballack. John Terry and Alex would have been delighted by the absence of Wayne Rooney but wary of the threat of Antonio Valencia and Ryan Giggs from wide. Preventing Manchester United's wingers from getting in behind Yuri Zhirkov and Paulo Ferreira was key to Chelsea's defensive approach.

Tactics and Teamwork

Chelsea began the game in aggressive fashion and set the pace, imposing their game-plan on their hosts. Zhirkov and Ferreira got extra tight to United's wide players and ran them back, forcing them to defend at every opportunity. They went forward with confidence as Chelsea clamped down on midfield, squeezing the play and suffocating United's rhythm. Darren Fletcher was choked by Frank Lampard's presence and Paul Scholes, so important for United, was unable to find Giggs in the first period. Giggs seemed marooned near the touchline, desperate for some service, and constantly having to check Ferreira's runs on the outside. Dimitar Berbatov, marked by Terry, needed closer support but Park Ji-sung was drifting centrally and not troubling Mikel John Obi. The Nigerian was rarely pulled out of position. Terry pushed his full-backs tight and, with Joe Cole dancing down the right and Florent Malouda working slightly narrower on the left, the visitors imposed themselves on a jaded United. Gary Neville and Patrice Evra were fully occupied. Ancelotti would have been happy at half-time: Chelsea had played like the home team, on the front foot, with Petr Cech a smiling spectator.

Did they succeed?

Ultimately, yes. Although United responded by playing their back four further forward after the break, Chelsea's determination rarely wavered. Scholes and Fletcher worked harder to find some spacedid find space, and Giggs moved further in-field, which gave more muscle to the United midfield and Evra, more importantly, the opportunity to charge into the space vacated by the veteranforward. But Chelsea increasingly held their full-backs, Ferreira and Zhirkov checking their first-half ambition and, sitting on their lead, the visitors grafted with little space between their back-line and front. The manager used his substitutions well – hard-working forwards Joe Cole and Anelka were replaced by fresh legs and real threats in Drogba and Salomon Kalou – though there was no need to change the system. Although United had more of the ball in the second period, without the individual threat of Rooney they were unable to get goal-side of a well-organised Chelsea team. Berbatov had a couple of free sights at goal but United lacked a spark after a demanding week, while Chelsea, fresher and playing with more confidence, ended deserved winners.

Didier Drogba 'Frustrated' By Substitute Role Against Manchester United

Didier Drogba spoke of his frustration at failing to make the starting line-up against Manchester United and it is an emotion he may have to get used to from now until the end of the season.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti appears to have accepted that fitting Drogba – Saturday’s match-winner – and Nicolas Anelka into the same team does not enhance the prospects of victory and will use the former’s injury concerns, with a knee problem and a pending hernia operation, to rotate the pair.

The irrepressible form of Florent Malouda and Joe Cole’s improving displays have strengthened the manager’s hand, inevitably reverting to a variation of Chelsea’s familiar 4-3-3, but he will have to be careful not to alienate Drogba, in particular, as Luiz Felipe Scolari found to his cost.

Not that the Ivorian is complaining. “I was frustrated not to start but the manager has played this team before [against Aston Villa the previous weekend] and I think he knows how to do it,” he said. “It was a good decision because I went on and scored.”

Drogba may not have felt the same had he not registered his 25th league goal of the campaign — albeit from an offside position — and also his first in the league against United. “Maybe you don’t need to score a lot, just the important goals, and maybe this one was one of those goals,” he said, his other against United being the only goal in the 2007 FA Cup final. It will be fascinating to see whether he starts this Saturday’s semi-final against Villa.

It is regaining the league title, rather than retaining the cup, that matters most to Chelsea, however. “I think it would mean more for us to do it now having waited for three years to win it back again,” Drogba said. “All I know is that we want to win it a lot, to prove to people the team we are.” There was, he admitted, also added annoyance at Chelsea’s recent results.

“We had the frustration of losing points we should not have dropped in the last month,” Drogba said.

There was some kidology in Ancelotti’s decision not to begin with Drogba, having indicated it was unthinkable not to use the 32 year-old. That had been taken to mean a place in the starting XI but, in the event, it meant not to use him at all in the match. “I decided to keep him on the bench to use him during the match,” Ancelotti said. Drogba was the ultimate impact substitute while Anelka’s greater mobility, linking with Cole and, in particular, Malouda, and creating space for the pair, was effective against United’s tired limbs.

Drogba also spoke of his own fitness concerns which may be a worry to the new, watching Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson with the World Cup so close. “I’ve got some difficult moments but it’s a long season with a lot of games and I’m OK,” Drogba said. “I will do everything I can to keep playing. I don’t know yet if I’ll have to have a (hernia) operation. I have to decide with the manager of Chelsea and the manager of the Ivory Coast.”

Andy Gray: Ancelotti Is Manager Of The Year

Over the next few weeks, the voting will take place for the League Manager's Association and Barclays Premier League Manager of the Year awards, and it's worth thinking about who is in contention to win them.

The latter should be pretty straightforward. Only once has the award not been handed out to the manager who won the Premier League title that season, back in 2000-1 when George Burley guided his newly-promoted Ipswich Town side to fifth place in the league and (as it then was), a UEFA Cup spot.

Following on from that, it's safe to assume that one of Carlo Ancelotti, Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger will be using that particular trophy to decorate their mantelpiece. With Chelsea two points clear of Man Utd and three of Arsenal with just five games to and trading at 1.6 on Betfair for the title, the engravers are surely already checking the correct spelling of Carlo Ancelotti.

The League Manager's Association award is more likely to go to a manager whose team have exceeded expectations and over-performed given the strength of their team, rather than actually winning the title.

That's why David Moyes has won this award on no less than three occasions since joining Everton, despite never coming close to winning the title. He's unlikely to be winning it again this year with a seventh place finish in the league the best he can realistically hope for and no real success in any of the three Cups his side were in. The way I see it there are three strong candidates, though a lot obviously depends on what happens between now and the end of the season.

The first guy I feel is in with a shout is Roy Hodgson. Two years ago to the day Fulham were heading for The Championship and needed a late Danny Murphy goal at Portsmouth on the last day of the season to avoid the drop.

Now they're sitting pretty in mid-table whilst taking out the likes of former UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk and former Champions League winners Juventus in the Europa League. If they went all the way, Roy would be a strong candidate for the award.

As would Harry Redknapp, though I feel he'd either need to finish fourth in the league or go on and win the FA Cup to really make a case for being given the award. I also like the credentials of Alex McLeish.

Having recruited experience campaigners such as Lee Bowyer, Barry Ferguson and Kevin Phillips rather than investing heavily in terms of transfer fees, he's guided Birmingham City to the dizzy heights of ninth, when many would have thought they'd be scrapping to avoid a swift return to The Championship, having just been promoted.

My vote would be on one of these three, though if Carlo Ancelotti won the title in his first season in English football, I'm not sure many could say he didn't deserve it.

Sir Alex has once again done a remarkable job this season when you consider he lost two of his most important assets in Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez last summer, and if he somehow managed to go on and win the Champions League, he'd certainly be in with a shout.

Euro Exit Aids Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti admits Chelsea's exit from the UEFA Champions League may have been a blessing in disguise.

The Blues slipped out of Europe's premier club competition at the hands of Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan.

Few at the time welcomed the stumble at the last-16 stage, but have since realised that it could play into their hands.

Having enjoyed a midweek free of continental competition in the build-up to their vital top of the table meeting with Manchester United on Saturday, Chelsea were able to make their fresh legs count.

A 2-1 win at Old Trafford returned them to the Premier League summit, opening up a two-point gap on the Red Devils and a three-point cushion on Arsenal.

Ancelotti accepts that, with the Gunners also still in the Champions League, his side appear to hold the upper hand heading into the final throes of the season and hopes they can make the most of the opportunity put in front of them.

"Maybe it is an advantage not to play in the Champions League," said the Italian coach.

"It is important to be able to train during the week.

"It is important at this moment of the season because it is very busy for the teams who are in the Champions League. We have to take advantage of it."

Rest Provides Tonic For Chelsea Against United, Says Florent Malouda

According to Florent Malouda, who engineered the opening goal, Chelsea came to Old Trafford with a plan. "We knew we would be fresher than United, we didn't have a game in midweek," the French winger said. "That's why we started the game so quickly. We knew if we kept at a high intensity they would have some problems, and that's how it worked out."

Sir Alex Ferguson said beforehand that United were used to playing two games in a week and extra rest would not necessarily work to Chelsea's advantage, though Carlo Ancelotti's post-match summary appeared nearer the mark. "Of course we were fresher than United," the Chelsea manager said. "When you play a Champions League game you lose a lot of energy."

Ferguson accepted as much in the end and admitted his players looked leggy in the first half, yet he surely contributed to the effect by giving his ageing trio of treble veterans their third game in a week. It was one thing to select Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs against Bolton last Saturday, and another to involve them to varying degrees against Bayern Munich, 11 years after the Camp Nou event, but to start the trio again in a title-decider against Chelsea smacked of either loyalty, or United's resources, being stretched too far.

After confessing he possibly blundered in Germany by playing Park Ji-sung instead of Antonio Valencia, Ferguson came to the mystifying conclusion that the Korean was worth a try in the centre of midfield here, with Giggs returned to his old left-wing beat and Nani left on the bench. It was scarcely a success, with both Park and Giggs anonymous and Nani having to come on to create United's goal before the end, though at least the pair avoided being booked for failing to keep up with the pace of the game, which is effectively what happened to Scholes and Neville.

Scholes had an off-day with his distribution, repeatedly hitting overoptimistic passes no winger could hope to reach. In addition to a foul on Malouda that earned him his caution, Neville was out of position when the winger came down the right to set up Joe Cole's early goal. Wayne Rooney may be injured, though Ferguson had younger alternatives on the bench in Rafael da Silva, Michael Carrick and Darron Gibson. While it is no secret the Scot values experience in big games, here he appeared to overdose on it. Chelsea, the side he politely suggested last season were not getting any younger, were the ones to take advantage. It would appear United are not getting any younger, either, and, though it would not be the first time they have suffered through taking on Europe as well as the rest of the Premier League, this may be the first self-inflicted setback.

It remains remarkable that United are still getting service from three players in their mid-30s who have been with the same club all their careers. It would be more remarkable still, beyond even Camp Nou improbability, for the old guard to save United's season now. Ferguson has not only been blessed with a golden generation; he can be congratulated, as can the players, on extracting full value from it. But nothing lasts forever.

Joe Cole Puts World Cup 2010 Dream On Hold

Joe Cole is putting his World Cup dream to one side in order to concentrate on making Chelsea champions again.

Cole has endured a difficult time since returning from cruciate surgery in September and was left out of Fabio Capello's squad for the recent friendly win over Egypt at Wembley.

"You cannot talk your way into the England squad," Cole told www.bbc.co.uk after scoring Chelsea's opening goal in their 2-1 win at Manchester United. "If I am playing regularly in a team fighting to be champions I will have every chance. But my main focus now is Chelsea."

He added: "It is very important this club gets back to the summit of English football. I want to be part of the team that becomes champions again."

Cole admits he has found it hard to hold down a regular place in Carlo Ancelotti's side.

The fierce competition for places at Stamford Bridge meant easing himself back to form was not an option and as the season dragged on, it seemed Ancelotti was determined to keep both Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba in his starting line-up.

A minor injury that kept Drogba out of the Villa game gave Cole his chance and it would be a brave man who altered the formation again given how close Chelsea are to reclaiming a crown they last won under Jose Mourinho in 2006.

"It is not down to me to pick the team," said Cole. "But I enjoy playing on that right side.

"We changed the system in January and things went really well. We also changed the system in the last three games and the same thing has happened.

"I never lost belief in myself and there is no doubting what I can do. I just needed a run of games."

Ferguson On Didier Drogba Winner

Sir Alex Ferguson blasted blunder linesman Simon Beck for allowing Didier Drogba to score a blatant offside winner at Old Trafford.

The angry Man United boss hit out after his Premier League champions were knocked off the top by Chelsea's Didier Drogba.

Alex Ferguson blasted: “What I can’t understand is that the linesman is directly in front of it.

“There is nobody near him. Not a soul in front of him. He sees it and he gets it wrong.
‘‘With a game of this magnitude you need quality officials.

“We didn’t get them I’m afraid. It was a poor, poor performance. And when I saw that Mike Dean was the referee I did worry. But I’m not going down that road.

“That is twice, though, that we have lost out to refereeing decisions against Chelsea. Down at Stamford Bridge it was exactly the same.

“We have been caught on the wrong end of it this season. It’s just the quality of officials which has cost us. If he can’t get that right why is he officiating on Saturday?”

Chelsea boss Carlos Ancelotti wouldn’t be dragged into a slanging match but did say: “It’s only offside when the flag goes up.”

Both managers couldn’t agree either who were title favourites with the bookies making Chelsea their 8/13choice to be crowned kings and deny United their fourth in a row.

Ferguson added: “Chelsea are favourites now. There are five games left and they have two points more with a better goal difference. They are in the driving seat.

“I am certain we will respond but we can win all the next five games and not win the title. It’s a good position now for them to be in.

“We have to lift our players and we still have an opportunity to get into the semi finals of the Champions League. That should be incentive enough.”

Ancelotti added: “We’re not the favourites. But we have gone top. We have five games left. We have to stay focused and keep our composure. We now have a better possibility for winning the title.

“We have to be calm and quiet and be very focused. We have had a good reaction from the Inter Milan defeat. My players are very strong and they are very professional.

Petr Cech Hopeful Of Premier League Title Chances

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is hopeful his side can maintain their title challenge following Saturday's victory over Manchester United.

The Blues are now top of the league and two points ahead of United with five games remaining.

And Cech insists his team must handle the pressure of being front-runners after the crucial victory at Old Trafford.

"It is very important to win these matches, the so-called six-pointers," he wrote on his personal website.

"It is equally important for us to manage the fixtures we have remaining.

"We are now in a position where our destiny is in our hands and it is up to us to cope with it."

The Czech international also entered the debate surrounding Didier Drogba's goal, which appeared to be offside, pointing out that United's goal was equally controversial when Federico Macheda appeared to touch the ball with his hand.

"If everyone is talking about an offside position for our second goal, then there should also be talk about the handball which helped lead to Manchester United's goal," he said.

"With that in mind, one situation and one decision went our way, but the second situation and decision went against us.

"After all that, it is clear that we were still better by one goal and deserved to win."

Florent Malouda Claims Manchester United Are Running Out Of Steam

Florent Malouda reckons Manchester United have cause for concern ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich after claiming the Reds are running out of steam.

Chelsea moved back to the summit of the Premier League with a convincing 2-1 win at Old Trafford on Saturday, thanks to goals from Joe Cole and Didier Drogba.

It was just deserts for Carlo Ancelotti's side, who outplayed their rivals for large parts of the match, as United failed to find their rhythm.

And Malouda, who set up Chelsea's opening goal, blamed United's poor performance on fatigue after they lost in Munich on Tuesday.

'We knew we would be fresher than United, we didn't have a game in midweek,' the French winger said.

'That's why we started the game so quickly. We knew if we kept at a high intensity they would have some problems, and that's how it worked out.'

Chelsea were dumped out of the Champions League by Inter Milan last month and in the build up to Saturday's showdown Sir Alex Ferguson insisted the extra rest would not necessarily work to Chelsea's advantage, though Carlo Ancelotti's post-match summary appeared nearer the mark.

'Of course we were fresher than United,' the Chelsea manager said. 'When you play a Champions League game you lose a lot of energy.’

Malouda Eyes World Cup Start

Chelsea's in-form winger Florent Malouda is hoping to start this summer's World Cup finals for France.

The 29-year-old is currently enjoying a purple patch for Carlo Ancelotti's side having scored four goals in three games.

Malouda was instrumental in Chelsea's 2-1 win at Manchester United on Saturday, although he is not a regular starter for Raymond Domenech.

The France boss has opted for Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery on the left of late, with Malouda restricted to a role off the bench.

However, Malouda is backing himself to impress Domenech and get the nod when the South Africa tournament starts in June.

"I have faith in myself," he told Canal Plus. "I hope to earn a position in the starting line-up.

"I hope I can play at the same level for France as at club level but to do that, I have to be given playing time.

"If I am at my best then I'm able to be part of that team."

Chelsea Boy Clearly Wants United Move

Chelsea fans will begrudgingly admit that Joe Cole has been shit for them since returning from injury. The winger that has always had to prove himself has been obviously frustrated by his lack of opportunities under Carlo Ancelotti and this has been reflected by his performances on the pitch.

“The player who has surprised me most is Joe Cole,” they said. “I just can’t work out what’s happened to him. He’s always been a player who has had to prove himself season after season and he’s never truly been appreciated at Chelsea as far as I’m concerned. Having said that, no matter what’s going on behind the scenes, he has always produced the goods on the pitch. This season though, it just hasn’t been happening for him and together with the lack of a contract, which worries me a lot.”

Cole always said he would never bring his contract negotiations in to the press, the way “Chelsea legends” John Terry and Frank Lampard did, to squeeze more money out of the club they “love”. Maybe he was naive but he genuinely seemed to believe that football was more than just about money. Sadly for him, he is playing at the wrong club. Money is everything at CFC and after Cole’s poor season, the club aren’t interested in rewarding loyalty (that is something the club is interested in after the player threats to play football elsewhere) and have offered him a poor deal. He is 28-years-old and looking to sign the last big contract of his career but his club isn’t too bothered.

“I’ve never spoken publicly about contracts before,” Cole said at the beginning of March. “I don’t think contracts should really be discussed mid-season. I have always signed mine in the summer in the past. But this time it’s different. We can’t seem to find common ground and it’s distracting. At the moment there is no offer on the table, so I know where I stand.”

Cole has been heavily linked with a move to United, with Sir Alex Ferguson named as a long term suitor of the attacking midfielder. We wouldn’t offer him the money he wants from Chelsea, but we would offer him the opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, under the best manager in the world, alongside some of the best players in the world. Whatever his feelings for Chelsea, he would be mad not to consider a future at United, regardless of what we offered him in weekly wages.

After a poor season for Chelsea, it comes as no surprise that he would have the game of his life against United. Just as our players recommended Eric Cantona to Ferguson after we played Leeds, and they did the same for Cristiano Ronaldo, I’m sure our lads will have a thing or two to say about Cole after his good performance today.

Is it really a coincidence that he’s been poor all season for Chelsea, where they’ve offered him little respect in terms of a contract, only to play out of his skin at Old Trafford in front of Sir Alex Ferguson? I don’t think so.

Match Report: Manchester United 1 - 2 Chelsea

Didier Drogba's controversial winner allowed Chelsea to shrug Manchester United aside and put themselves back in pole position in the Premier League title race.

Sir Alex Ferguson and his team will feel hard done by as Drogba was clearly offside as he collected Salomon Kalou's pass and drove home 12 minutes from time.

The significance of the error only became clear once Federico Macheda had pulled a goal back for the hosts to set up a pulsating finish.

But Ferguson would be aware that the first hour had been completely one-sided in Chelsea's favour and that the visitors should have had a greater advantage than the one goal Joe Cole provided in the first half.

Without Wayne Rooney, there was no real bite in United's attack. And although the 34-goal striker is only out for a fortnight, by the time he returns his side's dreams of glory might be over, considering Chelsea now have a two-point advantage and a superior goal difference.

Since his recovery from a long-term knee injury, Cole has struggled to get back into the swing of things.

Fabio Capello claimed he was not the same player when he left the midfielder out of his England squad to face Egypt last month, raising extreme doubt over Cole's chances of making the World Cup.

Cole's admission that contract talks had broken down was a statement in itself, given it is hard to imagine Carlo Ancelotti allowing a pivotal player to find himself in such a position so close to him being allowed to leave on a free transfer.

Old Trafford has been mentioned as a potential destination should Cole leave Stamford Bridge this summer, so it was an opportunity to impress Sir Alex Ferguson, not that the United chief would have found the 18th-minute opener even vaguely admirable.

Having put his side's obvious failings in possession down to a one-off in Munich last week, Ferguson must have been worried to see the same fault reappearing quite so often, quite so soon.

There is no doubt the ankle injury Rooney suffered in Germany had a negative effect on United.

But the fault lay much deeper, their play too ponderous to have any impact.

All across the midfield, United were wasteful in possession. And with Florent Malouda giving Gary Neville a right old runaround, Chelsea took complete command.

The disappointment for Ancelotti must have been that his team did not make the most of their possession.

Edwin van der Sar denied Cole on one occasion and Nicolas Anelka had a couple of shots blocked but clear-cut chances were rare.

Even Chelsea's opening goal was not a golden opportunity in that sense.

Malouda was invited to run into the home box and although Darren Fletcher eventually reacted, the Chelsea midfielder had the strength to hold him off and cut the ball back to the near post, where Cole got in front of Patrice Evra and found the net with a neat back flick.

It took United a long time to respond. And when the rally eventually came, it took the form of a couple of debatable penalty appeals and referee Mike Dean was not impressed either when Yury Zhirkov chopped down Park Ji-sung and Dimitar Berbatov fell under Frank Lampard's challenge.

Had Paulo Ferreira shown more conviction when he raced to meet Cole's excellent through-ball at the start of the second half, the contest would have been over.

Instead, the full-back failed to find either the far corner, or Anelka, and United, who at least speeded up a little bit, remained alive.

The escape certainly seemed to galvanise the hosts, who for the first time made Chelsea's defence creak.

Berbatov, the man of whom so much was expected in Rooney's absence, was just off target with a couple of headers and, off balance, Park was unable to keep his shot on target after a forceful Fletcher run had carved Chelsea open.

The introduction of Drogba midway through the second half emphasised the Blues' strength in depth compared to their hosts, who were forced to rely on the talents of teenager Macheda when Ferguson needed to reinvigorate his side.

Predictably, Drogba had an immediate impact, even if he was offside as he collected Kalou's pass before drilling his shot past Van der Sar.

Down, and almost out, United responded instantly as Cech pushed Nani's cross onto the on-rushing Macheda.

The ball bounced slowly into the Chelsea goal to set up a dramatic ending.

But the Blues were worthy winners at the end. Behind glass, in the executive box where he watched from, Rooney could only wonder what might have been.

Sir Alex Ferguson Condemns Officials After Manchester United Lose To Chelsea

Sir Alex Ferguson criticised the match officials after Manchester United's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea, which put Carlo Ancelotti's side two points clear at the top of the table. Joe Cole put the visitors ahead but it was Didier Drogba's goal 11 minutes from time that angered Ferguson, with replays showing the striker was offside.

"What I can't understand is the linesman's directly in front of it. He has no one near him and he gets it wrong," Ferguson said. "A game of that magnitude, you really need quality officials and we didn't get them on Saturday. It was a poor, poor performance."

The referee Mike Dean has been in the spotlight this week after Blackburn's Martin Olsson admitted he deliberately went down in the area at Burnley because of Dean's reputation for giving penalties. United had two penalty appeals turned down today while Chelsea looked to have a good shout when Gary Neville barged Nicolas Anelka.

Asked whether Dean had been affected by the comments, Ferguson said: "I don't know about that but when I saw Mike Dean I did worry, I must admit."

Chelsea lead United by two points with five games to go, and Ferguson said they are firm favourites. "Five games left, they're two points ahead and four goals better than us – they're in the driving seat," he said. "Chelsea are favourites now, there's no question. I'm certain we'll respond but we could win the next five games and not win it."

While United had a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich in midweek, Chelsea were able to prepare solely for this game following their elimination by Internazionale in the last round. Both managers felt that proved a crucial factor.

"The first half we looked leggy, it took us too long to get going and Chelsea were by far the better team," Ferguson said. "The second half we did well, we were unfortunate not to get something from the game. We dominated it in the second period but we just didn't get there."

Reaction: Nothing Is Decided Yet

Carlo Ancelotti's side were undoubtedly brilliant on Saturday as we beat Manchester United on their home soil but the Italian was keen to point out nothing has been decided with regards to the title race yet.

Although the three points takes us back to the top of the League, Ancelotti knows anything can happen and wanted to make it clear the race is not yet won.

'Nothing was decided in this game,' insisted Ancelotti.

'It was an important week for us because we were away to a very strong team. But now we must stay focused and maintain composure. It [the win] is very important for our confidence but nothing is decided yet.'

Chelsea have been on fire in our recent clashes, scoring 14 goals in three games since drawing 1-1 away to Blackburn, a game that followed our exit from the Champions League.

'We had a very good reaction against Portsmouth and Villa, we drew against Blackburn and came back and played well.

'We played well in the first half on Saturday, Manchester United wanted to put pressure on our midfield but we have built a very good reaction after that defeat to Inter.'

It seems every cloud may truly have a silver lining as the end of our European campaign allowed us a whole week to prepare solely for today's fixture.

'We didn't have a match during the week so we had the possibility to maintain a good condition and improve our condition and play for this game.

'Our aim was to keep the intensity. We had the possibility to play with a high tempo and we did this very well. We maintained good pressure in midfield and we didn't give Manchester the possibility to play how they wanted.'

Following the result, the opposition manager was forced to admit Chelsea are best placed to win the Barclays Premier League.

'Chelsea are favourites now, there's no question about that,' said Alex Ferguson.

'There are five games left, they're two points ahead and have four goals in goal difference against us, they are in the right position.

'We could win the next five games and still not win the League, it's simple as that,' added Ferguson. In fact Chelsea are three goals better off than the second-placed team.

Saturday’s team was unchanged from that which faced Villa last weekend, with Didier Drogba once again taking up a position on the substitute bench.

Having only trained twice this week, Ancelotti knew Drogba would benefit from a rest but always planned to introduce the winning goalscorer deep into the second half.

'He was not 100 per cent but I knew he was very important for this game,' admitted Ancelotti. 'I preferred to play him at the end of the match when he would be fresh and he did well.

'It is not important to start the game. It is important to play in the game and play well.

'Nicolas [Anelka] played 60 minutes, Didier 30 minutes. Maybe next time Didier can play 60 minute and Nicolas 30 because they are both fantastic strikers.'

Another man who commanded attention during the fixture was Joe Cole, who netted his second league goal of the season in front of the Man United fans.

It was a Cristiano Ronaldo-like back heel that put the Blues ahead as Cole proved his critics wrong.

'He worked very hard against Evra, he scored a goal and this goal was the key to opening up the game.

'He did very well. He is fit and he only has to improve his confidence. This goal for him is very important because he also played very well against Aston Villa.'

Finally, with calls for offside reverberating around Old Trafford after Drogba's winning strike, Ancelotti understandably avoided commenting of the official's performance.

'Offside is when the linesman's flags goes up and also penalties come from when the referee whistles,' reported the Italian.

'But I don't want to comment on these decisions. I am happy we pressed without the ball and kept possession and controlled the first half. The second half was difficult but I am happy.'

Ancelotti Happy To Be Favourites

Carlo Ancelotti is happy to label his Chelsea side favourites for the title after their 2-1 win at Manchester United.

Chelsea put themselves in pole position in the race for the championship with an impressive success over the defending champions at Old Trafford.

Ancelotti was delighted with his side's performance and he has called on his players to keep their focus as they look to maintain their lead at the top for the final five games of the campaign.

"We kept a high intensity in the first half. We had good control of the game," Ancelotti told Sky Sports 1.

"We trained very well during the week because we didn't have a Champions League match. You lose a lot of energy.

"We played very well in the first half. It's a very important victory for us and a very important performance. To win here is not easy, we did a good job."

Regarding his team's title chances, Ancelotti added: "We are favourites, it's normal, we are back at the top of the league.

"There are five games left and we have to stay focused. We are happy but nothing is decided so we must stay calm and focused on our game.

"(It's been a) good reaction after the defeat against Inter. My players are strong."

Ancelotti admitted it was a tough decision to leave out top scorer Didier Drogba as he kept faith with the side that thumped Aston Villa 7-1 last weekend.

"It was very tough to take out Didier but he understood because he trained not 100% during the week," continued Ancelotti, who saw Drogba score the decisive goal after replacing Nicolas Anelka in the second half.

"I preferred to put him on during the match and he did very well because he was fresh and he scored a fantastic goal."

Malouda Stays Grounded

Florent Malouda insists Chelsea are not taking anything for granted after moving to the top of the table with the win over Manchester United.

Chelsea surged two points clear at the summit to move into pole position in the race for the title with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.

Malouda, who was named man of the match, helped set up Joe Cole's opener and gave United full-back Gary Neville a torrid time throughout the game.

The Frenchman admits there is still a lot of hard work ahead for his side if they are to take the championship back to Stamford Bridge.

"It is going to be very difficult," Malouda told Sky Sports 1 when asked about his side's title chances.

"If we play the way we played today, we have a big possibility but it's going to be very, very hard.

"We wanted to be on top of the league after this game. It was hard but I think we played really well and for us it means a lot after the bad week [when Chelsea crashed out of the Champions League] we had.

"We had to react and we reacted in the best way."

Malouda felt United were not at their best and believes their midweek Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich took a lot out of the reigning champions.

He added: "Champions League matches take up a lot of energy and that is why we started the game so quick.

"We knew that if we played with a high intensity they could have some problems."

Malouda: I Love England And I Always Wanted To Play For Chelsea

Florent Malouda has revealed how he planned to play for Chelsea long before his arrival in 2007.

The French winger is enjoying his best form since his arrival from Olympique Lyon.

Malouda told the Daily Mail: "When I came here my family was ready.

"I’d been coming for two years. I’d seen my friends Didier Drogba and Michael Essien come here. So I knew where I was coming.

"When I was at Lyon, I was looking at Chelsea winning trophies and the players were so happy. I went to Didier’s house and saw his pictures of the trophies and his family celebrating at Stamford Bridge. I wanted that.

"I wanted to be in those pictures with my family, celebrating on the pitch with the trophy. That’s why I play football.

"It was my choice to come to Chelsea. They were so competitive in the Champions League and I said, 'That’s where I want to be'.

"I bought my house in London. I chose to bring my children to a British school. It was what we wanted. After that, I couldn’t say, 'I don’t feel good in England'. But this was the picture people were seeing of me. That has changed because my performances improved."

Failure To Sign Rooney 'Hurts' Abramovich

It still hurts Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich that in the summer of 2004 he was persuaded, primarily by the then chief executive Peter Kenyon that Wayne Rooney was temperamentally flawed and, therefore, Chelsea should not bid for him.

It was probably already a done deal that Rooney would quit Everton for Manchester United -- although Abramovich was said to be annoyed when he then saw the teenager plunder a hat-trick on his Champions League debut against Fenerbahce.

Much of the build-up to Saturday's monumental meeting between United and Chelsea at Old Trafford has centred on Rooney's absence but Carlo Ancelotti offered a different perspective on the champions during the past eight months.

"This season, I think, United play differently in respect of the past," the Chelsea manager said. "Last year, they had Cristiano Ronaldo as a striker and they play differently now and have improved a lot."

Improved a lot? That was a bold statement. Few regard the departure of Ronaldo as an enhancement to this United squad although, as when Ruud van Nistelrooy was sold to Real Madrid, allowing the Portuguese to flourish, there has been a liberation for certain players: primarily, but not only, Rooney.

"This year, Rooney did a fantastic job with the wingers," Ancelotti said, praising Ryan Giggs, Nani and Antonio Valencia. "A lot of matches were tactically very good. Against Milan, tactically they played very well. They don't give a lot of chances to concede. They are very compact as a team and prefer to defend well and counter. They're able to do this because the wingers are very fast," he said.

What Ancelotti likes about United, above all, is that they have an "identity", which is what he has obsessively stated he wants to create at Chelsea. That takes time, a commodity that Abramovich has not permitted previous coaches. Despite all the denials, if Ancelotti does not -- at the very least -- run United to the wire in the league and win the FA Cup then the pressure will grow.

It makes it all the more admirable that, in the face of this command to win, Ancelotti has stuck to an attacking approach -- although that is also something that Abramovich has insisted upon. Chelsea have scored more, 82 times in the league already this season in 32 matches, and conceded more than ever before in the Abramovich era. It is not, perhaps, what you might expect from a coach schooled in catenaccio.

"In Italy the team that won Serie A was not the team that scored most but the one that conceded fewest," Ancelotti said. "But here we are in England. Scoring goals is important. If you want to win you have to score.

"We want to play our football. Our football is to attack and keep control of the game. It's the most difficult game to do this. United want to do the same because they are at home. This is a fight and I think that will decide the match."

So is he atypical to his homeland? "I don't consider myself an attacking coach," Ancelotti said. "I am Italian and the fortune of Italian football is defensive. I like defence. I like balance. I am a balanced coach. I do like to hurt the opposition.

"My aim is to attack and play football but first is balance. I don't like to concede goals or counter-attacks. The easiest way to score is on the counter. If you attack badly, you can concede to counter-attacks."

Today Ancelotti will have to get that balance right. Although he would settle for a draw, a victory would strike a deep psychological blow to United and wrestle the advantage. And so Ancelotti will start with Didier Drogba and probably Nicolas Anelka, despite racking up 12 goals in the past two league games with only one or other of the strikers playing.

"They give quality, strength, and experience," Ancelotti said while conceding they have not necessarily clicked in tandem in recent games.

"I will try to put out the team with the best players, with more quality. Drogba and Anelka have more quality and I think they did very well together."

Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda have also been impressive, with the former gaining special praise from Ancelotti -- "a very dangerous midfielder" -- who has surprised the Italian with his "timing".

Timing is everything and so to today's game. It could not be more ideally set, Rooney's injury apart, and what will be Ancelotti's message to his team? "I have experience of this game," he said in reference to his CV for the big occasions. "You have to do your best to show your quality, put it on the pitch and show personality and courage. I hope to see this."

And so, even without Rooney, does the rest of the world.

My Week At Work: Nicolas Anelka

He may not watch much football away from Chelsea, but Nicolas Anelka has been enjoying his time while he is here, especially if he is near the constantly-battling John Mikel Obi and Salomon Kalou.

The best goal I have seen this week…
There were a few to choose from in our match with Aston Villa, I don't watch much football. I think maybe it is Florent Malouda's goal, from Yury Zhirkov's cross with the pass from Deco.

The best save I have seen this week…
I don't know, I have heard of some good saves but I did not see any.

The best training…
I think it was Wednesday playing four against four in the morning, little games, so it was sharp and intense.

The worst training…
It was Thursday. Two days before the game you do not do a lot, we can't do too much so we save the energy.

Funniest moment of the week…
That will be something with Kalou and Obi Mikel because they are always fighting each other in training or the changing room, something will have happened for sure!

My favourite sound this week…
Snoop Dogg, another favourite, from his new album.

Best food this week…
Thai food at a restaurant, one of my favourites.

Best entertainment...
Watching my son eating. He is always taking everything and putting it to his mouth but it goes everywhere.

The news story that stands out…
The president of France, Sarkozy meeting with Obama in America is big news.

And a special mention goes to…
I think maybe it is Frank because he scored four goals last weekend against Aston Villa.

Match Preview: Manchester United vs. Chelsea

In the Premier League, it simply doesn't get much bigger than this. Manchester United host Chelsea as first and second place do battle, with the winner taking a step closer to realising the dream of once again claiming English football's top honours.

It hasn't been a dream week so far for Sir Alex Ferguson, though. After Wayne Rooney gave United an early lead against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, they went on to lose the game courtesy of a late strike from Ivica Olic.

To make matters a lot worse, Rooney limped off with an ankle ligament injury, just days before the crucial meeting with the Blues on Saturday. The England striker now faces three weeks out and will miss the return leg with Bayern, as well as a handful of key fixtures in the title run-in, possibly including the Manchester derby.

It's not all doom and gloom for Ferguson: the Red Devils will still fancy their chances of progressing in Europe, are top of the league after a five-game unbeaten run and, as usual, are proving to be a formidable prospect at Old Trafford. If the reigning champions can get the better of Chelsea on Saturday, the title is theirs to lose.

How Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti must be wishing he faced the task of negotiating a quarter-final second leg in the Champions League. The Italian failed to realise club owner Roman Abramovich's European dream as his side were beaten by Inter in the round of 16, leaving Ancelotti under pressure to deliver the Premier League title - or at the very least the FA Cup - this season.

A groggy 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers followed the defeat at the hands of Jose Mourinho's men, but the Blues have been rampant since. Their last two games - away at Portsmouth and at home to Aston Villa - have resulted in 5-0 and 7-1 victories, respectively, with Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda firing on all cylinders.

Such results have given Chelsea the edge over United on goal difference, which could still prove vital come May, but a win at Old Trafford on Saturday is vital if Ancelotti's charges want their title fate to be in their own hands.

FORM GUIDE

Man United

Bayern Munich 2-1 Man United (Champions League)
Bolton 0-4 Man United (Premier League)
Man United 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Man United 3-0 Fulham (Premier League)
Man United 4-0 AC Milan (Champions League)

Chelsea

Chelsea 7-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)
Portsmouth 0-5 Chelsea (Premier League)
Blackburn 1-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
Chelsea 0-1 Inter (Champions League)
Chelsea 4-1 West Ham (Premier League)

TEAM NEWS

Man United

Wayne Rooney will not get the chance to fire his side into a lead at the top of the table after suffering minor ankle ligament damage against Bayern Munich on Tuesday; the striker faces around two to three weeks out.

Rooney is United’s only new injury concern, though Michael Owen, Wes Brown, Anderson and John O’Shea remain unavailable, with O'Shea set to return to full fitness imminently after recovering from a long-term thigh problem.

Another long-term absentee, midfielder Owen Hargreaves, is also set to return soon; indeed, Sir Alex Ferguson has even suggested that either Hargreaves or O'Shea could make the bench for the Chelsea clash.

Chelsea

There is better news on the striker front for Chelsea, as Didier Drogba has recovered from the knock that saw him miss the 7-1 thrashing of Aston Villa and is almost certain to start at Old Trafford after sitting out two training sessions.

Ancelotti has his regular list of long-term absentees hampering his team selection; Michael Essien, Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa are all still unavailable, while Branislav Ivanovic is sidelined with a knee problem.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Man United

It has been well documented that, in the absence of Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov may find himself leading the line alone on Saturday and must take centre stage. The Bulgarian, whose languid style is in contrast to the England international's more energetic approach, is yet to capture the imaginations of the United faithful in the same way he did at previous club Tottenham Hotspur, but a match-winning performance against Chelsea would certainly go some way to launching the striker into iconic status.

Chelsea

The availability of Didier Drogba is obviously a massive plus for Chelsea and he will surely play a significant part in Saturday's early kick-off, but the continued exceptional form of Florent Malouda makes the midfielder a potent threat to United's back four. The Frenchman has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season - 11 of them in the Premier League - and, whether battling Rafael or Gary Neville, Malouda will be confident of making an impact on proceedings.

Sir Alex Ferguson Praises Carlo Ancelotti's Progress At Chelsea

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has defended the job Carlo Ancelotti has done at Chelsea this season.

The two sides meet in a potential Premier League title decider at Old Trafford on Saturday, with United holding a slender one point advantage in the table.

There had been suggestions in some quarters that Ancelotti would lose his job if Chelsea fail to win the title, especially after the Blues were knocked out of the Champions League by Inter last month, but Ferguson believes such speculation is unfair.

"There has been no failure on Carlo Ancelotti's part at all," Ferguson said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

"He has done the job well.

"He is a man of great experience. He has won two European Cups as a coach and was a great player.

"You are talking about a pretty high competition level; in Europe and everything, and at this moment in time Chelsea are only a point behind us and they are in the semi-final of the FA Cup.

"The disappointment would be being knocked out in Europe. But it was a really strong performance from Inter Milan to knock them out.

"Overall, I think he has done a good job."

Lampard The Key For Carlo

Carlo Ancelotti believes midfielder Frank Lampard could play a key role when Chelsea tackle title rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Lampard found the net four times in last weekend's 7-1 drubbing of Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge and has now scored at least 20 goals in each of his last six seasons.

The Blues travel to the home of their title rivals one point adrift with each club having five more games to play after they go head-to-head this weekend.

Ancelotti, who took charge of Chelsea in the summer, revealed he did not fully appreciate the England international's talents until his arrival in West London.

"Lampard is a very dangerous midfielder," said Ancelotti. "It is difficult to block him because he is a very dynamic player and he gets into the box at the right moment.

"He is a midfielder who scores 20 goals every season and he is unique in that respect. I was surprised by him. I knew him but not with the timing into the box and that is his most important quality.

"We can use this quality to beat United but it is not enough to use just Lampard. We have other qualities and want to use them all."

Chelsea have bagged an impressive 12 goals in their last two games as they preceded their romp against Villa with a five-goal showing against Portsmouth to claim a narrow advantage over the Red Devils in the goal difference and goals scored stakes.

Despite having watched his side rack up 82 goals in their 32 Premier League outings this season, the Italian tactician insists he always attempts to remain true to the principles of his homeland.

"I don't consider myself an attacking coach," he added. "I am Italian and the fortune of Italian football is defensively. I like balance. I am a balanced coach.

"This is our aim, to attack and play football, but the first thing is to maintain balance because I don't like to concede a goal.

"The easy way to score is a counter-attack. In Italy the team that won Serie A was not the team that scored more goals, it was the team that conceded the least."

Mikel Out For Revenge At Old Trafford

Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi insists the Blues must take revenge on Manchester United for two recent heavy defeats at Old Trafford.

Chelsea are just one point behind United at the top of the Premier League but they have suffered some embarrassingly one-sided defeats at Old Trafford in the past two seasons - beaten 3-0 and 2-0 on their last two league visits to the champions.

But Chelsea, who have smashed 12 goals in their last two games against Portsmouth and Aston Villa, go into the top-of-the-table clash full of confidence.

Their confidence is in stark contrast to United, who lost the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night and who will be without top scorer Wayne Rooney for up to a month because of minor ankle ligament damage.
Mikel is adamant Chelsea can secure their first win at Manchester United since 2005 and heap more misery on United's bid for a league and European double.

"It's about time we went up there and won again because we can do it." said Mikel. "We can go there, play good football and win the game.

"It depends on how we come out to play and fight because it's going to be really difficult but we're ready for it. Hopefully this time it will go our way.

"We have made it clear that we need to win every match and every game we play is a big one but because of where we are in the league, it looks like we're going to have to win it.

"We have got a very difficult schedule for the rest of the season and it has come to the stage where every point is very important but we have to think about Saturday for now."

Meanwhile, Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti admits that Rooney's absence could allow his side to seize the title initiative from United.

The United striker has scored 35 goals in all competitions, 26 of them in the Premier League, and his absence at Old Trafford has already given Chelsea a massive incentive.

"Everyone knows how Wayne Rooney is important for this team, he is a fantastic player," said Ancelotti. "He has had a fantastic season but his injury could be an advantage for us.

"He is one of the best in the world right now. He is very professional and his image is very good for football. I like this kind of player. I was sorry for him. But I think without Rooney, for us, it is better.

"We want to play our football and we want to keep control of the game but it will be difficult. Man Utd want to do the same, they play at home and they will want to keep control of the game. This is the fight.

"Maybe sometimes a team can give more 100 per cent when an important player is out. We have to pay attention to this.

"Saturday is a very important game because we play a fantastic team who are top of the league now but I have always said the title will be decided at the end of the season.

"We want to do our best. The destiny after the game will be with the winners, but nothing will be decided.

"If we are able to win, it is better for us. A draw is not a bad result because there are a lot of games and everyone of them is very important.

"But it is very difficult to win at Old Trafford. It is a fantastic stadium for me also, not only for Sir Alex. I won the Champions League there in 2003 and that is the best memory for me in my career."

Drogba May Need Surgery At End Of Season: Ancelotti

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba could need surgery before the World Cup to cure a long-term groin problem.

Drogba was rested for last weekend's 7-1 win over Aston Villa because he has been suffering from the injury for some time and Ancelotti admits he could need a minor operation before playing for his country in South Africa.

Despite playing through the pain barrier at times, Drogba has still scored 30 goals this season and the 32-year-old will led Chelsea's attack in their crucial clash at Premier League leaders Manchester United on Saturday.

The Blues can go two points clear of United with a win at Old Trafford.

"Drogba has been living with this problem for three or four months but it is not a big problem," Ancelotti said.

"Sometimes he has problems after the game but during the week he doesn't have any difficulty.

"He will not need surgery now and if he needs to have an operation at the end of the season he will be ready in seven days because it will be a very little surgery - but I don't know if he will need to have that surgery.

"He was a little bit tired before the last game against Aston Villa so I didn't want to take the risk to put him on the pitch but now he is fit and he has to play."

Ancelotti Hungry For Title

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted his hunger to land the Premier League title ahead of Saturday's crucial showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Blues travel to the home of the league leaders and defending champions trailing Sir Alex Ferguson's men by just one point with six games of the season remaining.

Saturday's encounter is certain to have a pivotal impact on the destination of the title, while Arsenal remain in contention just three points further back from Chelsea.

The Blues have recovered well from the disappointment of their Champions League exit at the hands of former boss Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan side, scoring 12 goals in their last two games against Portsmouth and Aston Villa.

The Red Devils will also be missing their attacking talisman Wayne Rooney for the coming weeks after the England international suffered minor ligament damage in the midweek defeat to Bayern Munich.

Ancelotti, who will have his own star striker Didier Drogba available after a knee problem, is determined to wrestle top spot back from their opponents having headed the pack for long spells this season.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the Italian said: "It will be an important game.

"I think that this game won't decide the winner, but the team that wins the game will have a good chance to win the title.

"I am working to bring the Premier League here to Stamford Bridge.

"We are hungry to win because Chelsea has been very close for three years and now is the time to win.

"I am not satisfied because we are in second place in the table. We were in first place for eight months and now we are in second. We have a chance in the next game to move back into first place."

Despite the weight of expectation placed on his shoulders to bring success to Stamford Bridge, which increased following their European exit, Ancelotti remains relatively relaxed with the Premier League and FA Cup still in his sights.

He added: "I think we deserve to win something. We had a bad performance in the Champions League, this was not good.

"But in the Premier League we have done a good job until now. Now we have to try to win.

"The pressure is normal, it is a good thing. Pressure is life. When you have adrenaline in your body you have to be happy because adrenaline is a good thing."

Deco: Balancing Act

Back in the team and back in form, Deco is hoping we can go back on top at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Portuguese midfielder has been a key figure in our last two matches, both enterprising displays against Portsmouth and Aston Villa, and is now aiming to damage Manchester United's title hopes with victory on their own patch.

'I think we need to play in the same way, try to keep the ball, to pass the ball and be a danger when we attack,' he said. 'They are a better team than Portsmouth or Aston Villa but we can win.

'It will also be important to defend well, to take up good positions and be balanced. Manchester United are strong in the counter-attack and have good players, but we just need to go there and don't think about what they do. We know what we need to do.'

Deco's return to the starting line-up has coincided with the side scoring 12 goals in two games, tearing both Pompey and Villa to shreds in the process, and the playmaker admitted he is 'feeling better and playing better', after a seven-week absence from first team duties.

Now with six Barclays Premier League games to go, he is hoping to influence where the title ends up, and appreciates the importance of Saturday’s game cannot be overemphasised.

'I don't know if we need to win the game,' he told the Official Chelsea Website. 'Of course if we do then it just depends on us winning our games and we win the Premier League, if we lose it is difficult but if we draw everything is still open.

'I believe we have a chance to win and we will go there to win, not to draw, but the bad result would be to lose. If you win or draw everything is to play for, you cannot say anything is finished because we have difficult games but we would be in a good position.'

Ashley Cole Back From Broken Ankle Before End Of Season

England defender Ashley Cole will be "ready for the World Cup", according to his boss at Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti.

"The England staff are in contact with our medical staff and in 15 days Ashley will be back with the squad," he said.

Cole's rehabilitation from surgery has progressed better than expected after he broke his ankle in Chelsea's 2-1 defeat by Everton on 10 February.

The left-back is expected to be available for Chelsea's last three Premier League games of the season.

He was expected to be ruled out for three months but he has beaten that target and should have had some first-team action under his belt by the time Fabio Capello picks his initial 35-man squad for South Africa on 12 May.

England kick off their World Cup campaign against the United States in Rustenburg on Saturday 12 June.

The announcement coincides with a similarly positive bulletin on key Manchester United and England player Wayne Rooney. The striker's club manager Sir Alex Ferguson said on Friday he expected to have Rooney back in his squad in "two to three weeks".

While the tremendous goal-scoring form of Rooney this season makes him a key component for England in June's World Cup, a fully-fit Cole is also expected to be a definite pick by Capello in South Africa.

Chelsea, whose resources in defence are stretched with Branislav Ivanovic and Jose Bosingwa also injured, will have to cope without Cole for the Premier League trips to Manchester United, Bolton and Tottenham, plus the FA Cup semi-final with Aston Villa.
But Cole could return on 25 April when Chelsea take on Stoke at Stamford Bridge, before finishing off their season against Liverpool and Wigan.