Bertrand Quick To Deny Rumours!

It was probably only a matter of two weeks ago that rumours began to surface that our promising young full back, Ryan Bertrand, was, supposedly, wanting to sign for Reading on a permanent basis.

Bertrand an England U21 international who has been on loan with the Berkshire club all season, has made quite an impact with the club and pt in another sparkling display in the 6-0 thrashing of Peterborough this weekend.

However, rumours of a permanent departure, from Stamford Bridge, for the twenty year old, appear to have no substantiation with Bertrand quoted in the press as having remarked about the situation,

"Obviously there is some competition at Stamford Bridge and Ashley is there and he’s the best left back in the world. Then you’ve got Zhirkov who is an international."

"It’s important to be patient when you have those sort of players in front of you but hopefully my chance will come."

"We will sit down when I go back and see whether it is better for me to go on loan in the Championship or the Premier League, but I don’t have any problems coming back to Reading."

Obviously, it will be hard for Bertrand to make that breakthrough, especially when you consider the competition he has, but you just never know do you?

Cole Concentrating On Blues Before England

Joe Cole is focusing on winning the Barclays Premier League with Chelsea rather than the World Cup with England.

Cole has struggled to establish himself as a first-term regular under Carlo Ancelotti, but an impressive end to the season with the Blues - who are one point clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League - could yet see him force his way into Fabio Capello's World Cup squad.

The 28-year-old said: "My focus at the moment is just playing well for Chelsea. I don't like to talk about England because you can't talk yourself into an England squad. I just want to work hard and whatever happens happens."

He added: "It's obviously something I'd like to play in but at the moment I'm just concentrating on helping Chelsea win the title.

"I just want to keep playing well. I give everything in every game I play and that's just my nature.

"I want to work hard for my team-mates and manager and what will be will be."

Didier Drogba An Injury Concern For Chelsea During Crucial Premier League Run-In

Chelsea's top scorer Didier Drogba could miss some of the Blues' last three league games, as manager Carlo Ancelotti attempts to guide his team to Premier League glory.

The 32-goal Ivorian has been struggling with a groin strain in recent weeks, and wanted to come off in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur after causing it further damage.

But Ancelotti had used all three of his substitutions by then, so Drogba was forced to play out the remainder of the game noticably unsettled.

With four games left in the season, player and manager now have to decide how they manage the injury — which may yet require minor surgery before the summer's World Cup.

"It's his decision," said Ancelotti, according to the Press Association.

"He doesn't have a big problem. It's more about controlling the situation. He'll take a decision at the end of the season, whether he has surgery or not. But it's not sure he'll have surgery."

Drogba's countryman, Salomon Kalou, hopes the hitman is available for the remainder of the season — especially as three wins from their final three league games will guarantee the Blues their first title since 2006.

"Every time I have the chance to work with him I listen to what he has to say - he is very important to me," said Kalou.

"When you're talking about strikers in the game today, Didier is one of the best and I want to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from him.

"Didier is like a big brother to me. First of all we come from the same country and that makes us closer.

"He still takes me to one side at training and gives me tips. We are always working in front of the goal. He is always so sharp in front of the net and I want to improve that side of my game."

John Terry's Poor Form Raises Concerns For Chelsea And England

John Terry will this week get a placatory arm around the shoulder and some words of comfort and support as Chelsea look to put their damaged title challenge back on track.

The Chelsea captain’s season has dipped from bad to worse, culminating at White Hart Lane with a performance, in front of Fabio Capello, that the defender will want to erase from the memory bank.

Carlo Ancelotti will tell Terry: “non agitarti”. The Italian will translate that to “don’t panic” but the order, from a man who has experienced everything this game can offer, will be straightforward and calm amid the chaos that is unfolding at the business end of this most compelling of seasons.

Terry will miss the visit of Stoke City as a result of his first red card since December 2008, at Everton, when the same referee, Phil Dowd, sent the player off. This time he went for two yellow cards, for two sloppy fouls, but he could have been dismissed earlier had Dowd spotted Terry pulling the shirt of Jermain Defoe.

He had appeared to recover, with strength, from the allegations of an affair with the former girlfriend of Wayne Bridge and the subsequent loss of his England captaincy.

But the latest display, in a 2-1 defeat, will give cause for concern, both for Chelsea and England, particularly as he was outshone by another defender, Tottenham’s Michael Dawson, who is still waiting to make his senior debut for his country. Dawson later refused to consider the prospect of an England call up, but Capello is considering him for the coming friendlies.

Terry was even involved in an altercation with a Spurs fan at half time. How ironic that the fan has been banned, by Spurs, from the club’s next home game -- the same punishment meted out to Terry for the red card.

“The people are looking too much at John Terry’s performances,” claimed Ancelotti. “He is doing very well. He did a fantastic season. Maybe sometimes he had some problems and didn’t play so well, maybe against Tottenham he didn’t play too well. But he has been absolutely fantastic.”

As for the rashness of being sent-off in a game of such importance, Ancelotti again offered sympathy. “I was a player,” he recalled, “and you know sometimes you are not always rational, you lose sometimes your control.”

Which is something Chelsea can no longer afford to do. “Now we have to win the next game and if it’s possible the next three games and then we are the champions,” he added. “Tottenham played better than us, it can happen, so it’s not a time now to be disappointed, it’s a time to stay calm, to stay focussed and to look forward for the next game.”

As for the possibility that Tottenham could make it a trio of prize scalps, at Old Trafford, Ancelotti added: “They are in a good moment and they could do a very game, but we are not interested, we have to win against Stoke.

“And we have to control this but I think my players have the character and the concentration to maintain an atmosphere of calm and quiet and remain in focus on our match.”

Which is something they failed to do at White Hart Lane. From the early stages Spurs were inspired and having been denied one penalty, won another when Terry was adjudged to have handled David Bentley’s cross. The decision was harsh; the ball bounced awkwardly and may have caught his shoulder, but the complaints were minimal and Defoe, who had missed six of his previous 10 penalties, converted with power.

And when Gareth Bale, quite stunning on the left side, added a second before the interval, the warning bells were alive. Chelsea teams in the past have responded with urgency. This Chelsea side threw in the towel.

They were not helped by a woeful performance on the right by Paulo Ferreira, who was torn to shreds by Bale. He had been ill, his manager insisted, so his failure to appear for the second half was not a surprise.

Spurs had chances to embarrass Chelsea and although Frank Lampard’s late goal gave the visitors hope, losing Terry in the 67th minute, was the final set-back. Now Chelsea face Stoke with a defence missing Terry and Ricardo Carvalho but, almost certainly, reinforced by Ashley Cole, who spent Saturday on the bench.

One more slip, and one wonders what Roman Abramovich will be thinking. Interesting times indeed.

Alan Hansen: Failure To Win Premier League Could Be End Of Chelsea 'As We Know Them'

Former Liverpool defender Alan Hansen believes that, should Chelsea fail to claim the Premier League title this season, then the recent period they have enjoyed as a dominant force in the English top flight could be over.

The Blues lost to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday whilst rivals Manchester United won at Manchester City.

That saw the Londoners' lead at the top of the table cut to just one point with three games left, and Hansen feels that failure to win the title will have consequences far beyond this season.

"As for Chelsea, they will be guilty of the biggest slip-up in the history of the Premier League if they fail to win the title because they have had so many opportunities to put it beyond their rivals’ reach and been unable to do it," Hansen told The Daily Telegraph.

"If they finish without the title this season, it could be the end of Chelsea as we know them. It is such a crucial time for the club.

"Win the league, and Roman Abramovich might be energised by the experience, throw more money at it and go for the big prizes all over again. But with the team needing new blood, he might decide that, although he has had a great time, the party is over."

Hansen feels that neither Chelsea nor United have been top class teams this season, with United's experience and, crucially, their manager, playing major parts in their title challenge.

"No matter who wins the title this season, though, it will be the first time that an average team will have claimed the Premier League crown," the former Liverpool skipper added.

"Jose Mourinho changed the face of English football when he was at Chelsea because his team raised the bar so high that you had to be a great side to win the league during his time at Stamford Bridge.

"But neither United nor Chelsea can lay claim to being a great side this season. If United win the title, it will be down to their perseverance and ability to do what champions do in terms of never giving up.

"They also have the figure of Sir Alex in the dressing room, warning players that they might not have a future at United and hammering home the message that they never give up."

Liverpool face Chelsea on May 2, and Hansen insists that there will be no difference in attitude from Rafael Benitez's side, even though a win for them could hand bitter rivals Manchester United the title.

"There is absolutely no chance whatsoever that Liverpool will be handing out any favours to Chelsea at Anfield, even it means that they ultimately play a pivotal role in handing United their 19th league title," he asserted.

"Sir Alex Ferguson knows this only too well and anybody who might doubt Liverpool’s integrity and resolve will be seriously mistaken.

"In 1995, Liverpool almost handed the title to United by beating Kenny Dalglish’s Blackburn on the final day of the season, but United’s failure to win at West Ham proved their downfall.

"Liverpool will be approaching the Chelsea game in exactly the same manner. They will be 100 per cent professional and they would expect the same from United."

Chelsea Analysis: Carlo Ancelotti Likes Stability, But Blues Definitely Need Changes This Summer

In between the confirmation of Ashley Cole's return to the first-team squad and various denials that the double was already in the bag, the most significant comment of Carlo Ancelotti's Friday press conference almost slipped under the radar. Asked by one journalist if he agreed with Fabio Capello's reported comments that the Premier League would have to spend to regain its grip on European competition, the coach said he didn't think it was the "most important thing".

Asked for a second time to clarify whether he would be reaching for the cheque book come the season's close, Ancelotti took the opportunity to state his position unequivocally. "No, it's not necessary to spend a lot of money this summer," he said.

Whether Chelsea or Manchester United end up winners, they will have suffered more Premier League defeats than any champions in nine years - United lost six times in winning the league in 2001. It doesn't take a visionary to work out that United miss a certain number 7, and that they could do with a better blend in midfield. But for the Blues - and Ancelotti - their strength this season in having a team full of experienced campaigners could prove to be their weakness in the future.

It's only natural that Ancelotti should put his faith in seasoned pros. This, after all, is what sustained him in eight seasons at the helm of AC Milan. He deserves enormous credit for keeping Milan competitive in Europe at least. The outstanding achievement on his CV when he arrived at Stamford Bridge was his Champions League record, with wins in 2003 and 2007 sandwiching the extraordinary loss to Liverpool. Performance in Serie A was far from what was hoped for, though. One Scudetto (in 2004) was Ancelotti's haul, and his last three seasons saw Milan struggle even to hold on to a Champions League spot - a humbling situation for a side so used to making their presence felt in that competition's final stages.

2006-07 4th place - Milan started the season on minus eight points, their punishment for their part in the Calciopoli scandal, but even with those points reinstated they would have finished 28 points behind champions Inter.

2007-08 5th place - the European champions missed out completely, having to content themselves with a UEFA Cup spot

2008-09 runners-up - despite a few end-of-season wobbles, Milan clinched second position and an automatic return to the Champions League group stage

Ancelotti's league record is tempered by a few mitigating factors: the aforementioned Calciopoli, and the fact that Milan's owner Silvio Berlusconi provided less and less funds to strengthen the side.

In his last season in Italy the coach acquired Mathieu Flamini on a free; plus Ronaldinho, who was widely considered to be a spent force, and certainly played like it in his debut Serie A season; and 30-somethings Gianluca Zambrotta and David Beckham (on loan).

This lack of investment was not an overnight thing. A look at the Champions League final line-ups in 2005 and 2007 reveals only four changes to the starting line-up for the latter final - Massimo Oddo, Marek Jankulovski, Massimo Ambrosini and Filippo Inzaghi coming into the XI for 2007. Ambrosini and Inzaghi were already at the club, and had been part of the squad for the 2003 win over Juventus at Old Trafford too. In fact, the whole starting XI in 2003 were still at the club in 2005 with all but Inzaghi (injured) in the squad for the Athens final.

At Stamford Bridge, it's been no secret that owner Roman Abramovich has wanted to make Chelsea financially self-sufficient for a number of years - it was with this in mind that he appointed Peter Kenyon. Perhaps the ability to keep getting more out of ageing players was an element of Ancelotti's profile that made him attractive to the Russian. Yet if Chelsea's league performance started to wane in the fashion that Milan's did the coach would swiftly find himself out of work, and age is starting to catch up with the squad.

Ancelotti: Character To Cope

Carlo Ancelotti has given support to his captain in the wake of John Terry's red card at Tottenham.

The Chelsea manager spoke about pressure generally following the 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane but asked specifically if he believes Terry is coping with pressure upon him especially; Ancelotti pointed anyone raising that question to the big picture.

'All the people are looking too much at his performances,' the Italian said. 'Maybe sometimes he had some problems and he didn't play so well, maybe on Saturday he didn't play so well, but you have to look to the whole season of John Terry which is absolutely fantastic.

'I was a player and I know as a player sometimes you lose your control and any player can do this.

'John Terry is under pressure now, but everyone is under pressure at this moment,' Ancelotti added. 'He is the captain and he is involved in this exciting race and it's nothing special.

'The pressure is normal. To have pressure at the end of the Premier League is normal. We are top of the table and I think we have less pressure than the other teams.

'We have to control this but I think my players have character and concentration to maintain their focus on our matches.'

It was not a good day for Terry, nor other areas of the Chelsea defence and Ancelotti admitted there were problems with the right-hand side from where both Spurs goals originated. Paulo Ferreira, he reported, had suffered sickness is the days leading up to the game but Branislav Ivanovic, who replaced the Portuguese right-back at half-time, was not fit enough after injury to play a full 90 minutes.

What Ancelotti refuses to accept influenced the result was news of Manchester United's late winner prior to our kick-off.

'We were disappointed yes but we were involved in an important game and we prepared very well for this game, nothing changed about the pressure on this game after the goal by Scholes.

'It was bad day. Tottenham played better than us but it is not a time to be disappointed, it is a time to stay calm, stay focused and look forward to the next game.'

Chelsea TV Exclusive: It Was Messy

Reflecting on our 2-1 defeat to Tottenham, Frank Lampard insisted the side's slow start cost us three points in north London.

The midfield maestro, who began the game as vice-captain but ended it with the armband following John Terry's dismissal, believes their lead was too much to recover from after we conceded twice in the first half.

Chasing a two-goal deficit is never easy but against Tottenham, for Chelsea, it is even harder, explained Lampard: 'The last thing you want to do when you go to White Hart Lane is give them a 1-0 lead at the start, especially in the derby.

'When we went 1-0 down they got their confidence and when the game went to 2-0 it put us under a lot pressure and they are a good side.

'Then the game got messy in the second half and we went down to 10 men.

'But to be fair we had quite a lot of the ball in their box, we just couldn't find that last little pass.'

Needless to say, both players and fans alike were upset with Saturday's match but the result may not have been so hard to swallow, had it not been for a certain Paul Scholes goal.

'It's disappointing, especially with Manchester United's result,' noted Lampard.

'When they scored in the last minute it was hard. If they had drawn the game it would have left us in a very healthy position but now it's tighter.

'We were trying to get back into the game and with the last goal we had a bit of a lift but it's difficult with 10 men.

'But we have to get on with it now, understand it and not dwell on it because if we win our next three games we win the League.'

Touching on Terry's brace of bookings, Lampard was keen to express his leader's desire to succeed and how that sometimes transpires on the pitch.

'He wants to win and he's a fantastic captain,' reports Lampard, 'although for the first yellow I thought he got a slight touch on the ball.

'But when he went into that second tackle, you knew the minute the tackle went in he was going to get sent off.

'When you're playing in such circumstances sometimes these things happen but I don't think the referee gave us much in the game.'

However, Lampard himself gave us something when a stoppage time slide to the far post resulted in our only goal, taking him to 23 for the season.

'It doesn't feel so good given the circumstances of the game,' said Lampard, 'but if it can help us with the goal difference at the end of the season then it's worth it.'

With the League position in mind, Petr Cech, who put in an outstanding performance between the posts, knows Saturday's result has left us in the same position as a couple of weeks ago.

'It is basically the same as before,' said Cech. 'If we had drawn we would be two points clear and we would still have to win every game. Now we have the first game at home to Stoke and we have to win.'

Carlo Ancelotti Urges Chelsea Not To Panic After Spurs Defeat

Chelsea's manager Carlo Ancelotti has urged his players to hold their nerve in the Premier League title race following their defeat at Tottenham.

Manchester United could be back at the top of the league by the time Ancelotti's men kick-off against Stoke next Sunday after Sir Alex Ferguson's men defeated Manchester City before Spurs' 2-1 win against the Blues.

The results also mean Spurs are back in the Champions League places, with their victory over Arsenal in midweek backed up with goals from Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale, while Chelsea had John Terry dismissed before pulling one back through Frank Lampard.

"We had a problem with soft defence," said Ancelotti. "We didn't put pressure on the ball. Lampard scored at the end but when we lost Terry it was impossible to recover the game with 10 against 11."

Chelsea will win their first title since 2006 if they defeat Stoke, Liverpool and Wigan. "We know what we have to do in the next three games," Ancelotti said. "We must not have a panic now. We are top of the league with only three games left so every team wants to be in our place. We have two at home and one difficult game away. We can be the best again. A one-point lead is not bad at this stage of the season. I am always confident. I am less confident than yesterday but we are still in the best position."
Ancelotti made his final two substitutions at half-time before Didier Drogba pulled up with an apparent groin problem just before the restart.

"Didier never said anything at the end of the first half," the Italian added. "He had a problem but after five minutes he was good to play to the end of the match without a problem. Now he doesn't have a problem."

Ancelotti also refused to comment on whether he thought Terry's dismissal, for fouls on Roman Pavlyuchenko and Bale, was harsh. "We are disappointed because we have lost John Terry for the next game but I don't have to say anything about the decision," he said. "Everyone is under pressure at this moment. He is the captain and involved in this exciting race."

Carlo Ancelotti Grateful That Premier League Title Is Still In Chelsea's Hands

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti remained defiant about his side's Premier League title chances despite a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham.

The league leaders went into the tie at White Hart Lane having seen Manchester United narrow the gap to just a solitary point after victory over Manchester City earlier on Saturday afternoon.

But Ancelotti told ESPN that the stress at the top does not concern him: "I think at this moment all the teams have pressure, all the teams have their own aims - it's normal.

"There are only three games left; the title is still in our hands. We have to look to the next game against Stoke."

The Italian conceded that Chelsea deserved to lose following first-half goals from Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale, but disagreed with John Terry who had earlier in the week said that the players are beginning to feel the nerves at the top.

"No, I don't think that," said Ancelotti. "We knew we had to do our best, but we didn't today.

"Tottenham played very well, as they did against Arsenal - this is football, sometimes this happens."

Ancelotti saw his captain sent off for two bookable offences in quick succession in the second half, but he offered no criticism of referee Phil Dowd.

He added: "I have no complaints about the sending off - I don't want to talk about the decision of the referee.

"I am disappointed only that he [Terry] is not able to play the next game, but Ivanovic is fit so we have a good substitution for him."

The former AC Milan boss did, however, state that his players need to regroup with the season drawing to a close.

"I think that this team played very well until this game," he continued. "This game was not good. We have to refocus and play better in our next game."

Chelsea To Decide On Mancienne Future This Week

A report in the News of the World today claims Chelsea will decide on Michael Mancienne ’s future this week.

The 22-year-old has spent the whole season on loan at Wolves and has impressed in a holding midfield role despite naturally being a central defender.

Neil Ashton claims that "Chelsea director of football Frank Arnesen is under pressure to make a Blues academy player a first-team regular - and Mancienne is earmarked to be the one."

Wolves, following a successful season, would be happy to sign Mancienne and are willing to spend five million pounds on the England Under-21 striker.

Mancienne has played 28 games for Wolves this season and has been booked six times. Last season he made five appearances for Chelsea.

Chelsea Chase £17m Rated Palermo Striker Edinson Cavani

Chelsea have targeted Palermo striker Edinson Cavani , according to a report in The People today.

The 23-year-old striker has been a major factor behind Palermo’s chase for a Champions League place and has impressed Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti and his scouts in Italy.

Cavani has claimed 10 goals in 29 appearances for Palermo in 2009/2010 and at 6.0ft should be able to deal with the physical nature of the Premier League.

A number of clubs have been tracking Cavani and Chelsea face competition from Juventus, Roma, AC Milan, Manchester City and Manchester United to bring the Uruguay international (13 caps/2 goals) to Stamford Bridge.

Palermo will also be eager to hold on to Cavani who has been at the club since 2006/2007 and is contracted to the Serie A side until 2014/2015.

Sturridge Helping Kids Achieve Thier Goals

Daniel Sturridge joined guests of honour and young people at Cobham to launch a unique programme to help tackle youth crime in Surrey.

The guests and youngsters were from the borough of Elmbridge within which our training HQ is located.

Chelsea's Goalz project is funded by the Premier League's Creating Chances initiative and operates within Elmbridge working with young people aged 12-16yrs.Police and the council's Youth Justice and Youth Service Departments identify youngsters at risk of offending and refer them onto the programme which operates three nights a week, 48 weeks of the year, ensuring long term contact and positive engagement with the young people.

Participants are offered the opportunity to take part in football and a variety other sports all of which are linked to a series of workshops incorporating education, advice on drugs and alcohol abuse, health and a variety of social issues relevant to the young people.

After joining in with a kickaround and a session of head tennis, Sturridge spent time chatting to participants, answering a wide range of questions.

'I enjoy doing things in the community, especially with disadvantaged kids that have obviously had a hard upbringing,' said the England Under 21 international.

'Everyone in life deserves the chance to get what they want and sometimes it is a bit difficult for them to just live a normal life. It is always good to talk to them and give them a bit of hope that they can achieve what they want in life.

'Football can make a difference. It is a worldwide sport and Chelsea is a worldwide club and football is one of those games that brings joy and happiness to people's lives. I am happy to be part of a football family.'

The Surrey police have proved vital to the success of the programme. Sergeant Jerry Milford was on hand throughout the day joining in with the activities.

'We have referred some people we think are on the verge of getting into real difficult times and some of them are absolutely blooming now after four or five months,' he said. 'You saw some of the people ask questions to Daniel Sturridge with confidence but they didn't have that confidence five months ago.'

Chelsea and the partners involved in the project are confident that by the end of their time on the course the young people will have gained qualifications, improved their self esteem and that anti-social behaviour, and youth offending levels in the borough will have been lowered.

The Mayor of Elmbridge, Cllr. James Vickers, was impressed with what he saw.

'Elmbridge are involved with Chelsea a lot and we are very much involved with youth and sport. With Chelsea on our doorstep here, they are great colleagues and friends to have around and I am delighted to support projects like these. Seeing the enthusiasm involved, I think it has a great future and will really take off.'

Youth development officer Howard Jones added: 'It is great for the Youth Service to have a prestige partner like Chelsea. I believe that the engagement and divergent schemes work. Any activity with young people has an element of crime diversion, but the specific engagement schemes when the young people are referred have a very good track record.'

Chelsea Pensioners Get Carlo Ancelotti's Vote Of Confidence

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has given the clearest indication yet that he will retain faith with his ageing core of players next season.

With the club on the brink of the first league and FA Cup Double in their history, Ancelotti believes that this current group has answered questions about their collective age and does not foresee any need for a significant summer spending spree.

"I don't think it's necessary for us to spend a lot of money," he said. "I said that at the start of the season, that I was happy to have these players. I really do have a very good squad."

Ancelotti has already recommended that Joe Cole's contract is extended, while Michael Ballack, Nicolas Anelka, Juliano Belletti and Deco will also hold negotiations this summer.

Chelsea have had a long-time interest in both Franck Ribery and Sergio Aguero, yet there is a feeling that neither is worth the sort of fee being demanded in a market that has been inflated by Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Chelsea are overwhelming favourites to win a third title in six years, although captain John Terry did admit that nerves were evident in the edgy midweek win over Bolton. Ancelotti, however, clearly regards complacency as the biggest danger.

Youth Report: Leiceister City 3 - 2 Chelsea

Youth team defeat away at Leicester on Saturday compounded a disappointing weekend, but coach Dermot Drummy was impressed with his young side's display.

With only goalkeeper Sam Walker of the regular FA Youth Cup side involved, it was a mixture of first year scholars and schoolboys that fell 2-0 behind early on against a side now unbeaten in 25 league games.

Our hosts took the lead on 10 minutes when a slip in the Chelsea defence allowed Welsh Under 21 international Elliott Chamberlain to slot home from the edge of the area, and within two minutes the same player had doubled the lead from inside the six-yard box.

With Leicester firmly on top in the first half, it was Chelsea who dominated the second. Half-time substitute Nathaniel Chalobah pulled us back into the game with a far-post volley from Johnny Cane's cross, before Nikki Ahamed rifled home a 30-yard equaliser after a move involving Ben Sampayo and Danny Philliskirk.

Six minutes from time though Leicester scored the winner in slightly controversial circumstances, it being uncertain whether the ball had crossed the line when sub Ollie Norburn turned it goalwards following a City corner.

Despite defeat, Drummy was proud of the lads, and has an FA Youth Cup Final first leg to prepare for, the first leg against Aston Villa being on Thursday 29 April at Villa Park.

'Leicester were really direct and physical and we had three under-19s playing, but the rest of the boys were youngsters. We were very pleased although we lost and we were able to give a couple of young players a chance.

'For the Youth Cup, Adie Viveash and I travelled to Newcastle on Friday to watch the semi-final with Aston Villa, and they will be tough opposition but we look forward to it.'

Chelsea's £150m Wage Bill Has Bought Them Success: Arsene Wenger

Just when Chelsea looked to be marching unhindered to their third title in six years, along come Tottenham to remind us, on a day of high drama at White Hart Lane and Old Trafford, of football’s capacity for the gloriously unpredictable.

And few will have enjoyed it more than Arsene Wenger as he prepares his Arsenal side for their match at Wigan Athletic, suddenly handed a championship lifeline by the north London rivals he was cursing, rather than thanking, just a few nights earlier following their own derby defeat.

His pleasure will be all the sweeter as he remains a firm opponent of the kind of spending that has taken Chelsea to the top of the table.

In fact, Wenger thinks Chelsea should be stopped from what he sees as buying titles.

The Stamford Bridge club’s newly released accounts reveal that they spent a staggering £142.6million on players’ salaries last year, the highest sum in English football history.

It is over £20m more than Manchester United’s playing budget and £40m more than Arsenal’s. ‘What is not normal is not our wages bill, but their wages bill,’ said Wenger, who resents Chelsea being able to continue to splash out more than his club — and United — despite not bringing in the same revenue.

‘That should not be allowed.’ Indeed, the Arsenal manager believes the game’s governing bodies should legislate to prevent Chelsea spending the record sums on wages that could carry them to the Premier League and FA Cup Double.

Chelsea and their fans will be shocked by Wenger’s comments. After all the big spending in the early years of Roman Abramovich’s ownership, the club has been positively frugal by comparison this season as the Russian seeks to rein in the spending.

Only Yuri Zhirkov and Daniel Sturridge arrived this season, at a cost of £23m — just £4m more than United paid for Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan and which does not begin to compare with the £80m Real Madrid forked out for Cristiano Ronaldo alone.

But the belief that English football at the top level is impoverished as a result of the recession is undermined, not just by Manchester City’s spending power but also by Chelsea’s wage bill.

Wenger’s attack on Chelsea and lament for the financial imbalance may have something to do with his frustration at his perception, before Saturday’s new (slim) hope, that his side had fallen short in a trophy campaign for a fifth season in a row. It also had much to do with his chagrin at the authorities failing to act quickly to prevent what he sees as unfair spending.

New UEFA rules have been drawn up aimed at preventing clubs accumulating debt while still spending heavily, which is why Abramovich converted many of his loans to Chelsea into equity and also one reason why Liverpool’s indebted co-owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, are seeking a new buyer.

Recently, however, the big clubs of Europe persuaded the governing body to delay implementing the rules from 2012 to 2015. Wenger turned 60 this season. Time is slipping away for him.

Dredging up defiance after recent setbacks, he insists, however, that his club can compete on the field with Chelsea and big-spenders United, despite having lost twice to both this season, and even surpass them next season.

‘We cannot compete for wages but I believe we can realistically compete on the pitch,’ he added. ‘I’m convinced of that. As well, we can overcome them. We were for a while not investing, maybe because we were building the stadium. But I think now our financial situation is much stronger and that we will be capable of buying the players we need to buy.

‘Not all the top players can go to Chelsea. There are top players Chelsea don’t want to buy who are still good enough for us.’

New Pitch For Wembley

A new pitch is to be laid at Wembley following criticism of the playing surface at English football's national stadium.

The pitch was heavily criticised by three of the four managers of the the FA Cup semi-finalists and PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor described it as an "embarrassment".

The FA Cup final between Chelsea and Portsmouth is the next match to be played at the stadium.

"Wembley Stadium can confirm that a new pitch will be installed, with work commencing today," a statement on Sunday said.

"We will continue working with The Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) to install and maintain the new turf.

"The pitch will be the same type as was used in the latter part of last year.

"We will continue to refine the installation and maintenance regime to build on the formula that was successful during that period.

"Wembley and STRI feel confident that we will be able to deliver and sustain a good pitch at Wembley for our busy football schedule in May."

Match Report: Tottenham 2 - 1 Chelsea

Before kick-off, it was easy to poke fun at the eternally optimistic Tottenham supporter who laid a heavy sum on his team to beat Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United at odds of 14-1. Well, well, well. One thing is sure, Carlo Ancelotti will be desperate for Spurs to put in such a sparkling performance next weekend at Old Trafford.

Harry Redknapp's team are suddenly surfing atop a wave of adrenaline, and two outstanding results have led them to bounce back into a Champions League position. Chelsea departed White Hart Lane with their momentum battered and their egos bruised. Their lead at the Premiership summit has been trimmed to a single point, and a goal difference only two better than the scrapping, lurking, defending champions.

It was a dreadful evening for Chelsea, who lost their captain to a red card, their tempers to a situation they couldn't handle, and their comfortable cushion in the title race.

But what an extraordinary week for Spurs. Floored by Portsmouth in the FA Cup over two hours on the Wembley quagmire, they responded to scalp two London rivals who like to consider themselves superior. Top marks for character as well as ability.

The lunchtime result at Manchester made an impression on both teams –Tottenham were encouraged by City's setback and Chelsea tensed by United's demonstration of championship mettle.

Harry Redknapp's team set about their task with relish, evidently bouyed by their long-awaited win over Arsenal in midweek. Luka Modric used the ball craftily, Gareth Bale galloped forward with his engine on overdrive. Roman Pavluchenko's drifting movement and willingness to shoot stretched the Chelsea defence.

Tottenham upped the pressure with a rush of big appeals just before the quarter-hour. All were debatable to those without a white shirt on their chests. First, John Terry tangled with Jermain Defoe on the edge of the box, next Bale tumbled fractionally ahead of Mikel John Obi's challenge, then Pavluychenko's acrobatic flick was brushed away by a vague combination of Terry's nodded head and upper arm.

It was third time lucky. To Terry's astonishment the referee, Phil Dowd, pointed to the spot. Defoe, who choked with a couple of penalties earlier in the season, was eager to take responsibilty and he nervelessly cracked his shot past Petr Cech.

Defoe cantered off to celebrate. Terry argued with Dowd. Mind you, perhaps there was some karmic force at work which evened out some of the fortune that smiled on Chelsea regarding penalty appeals for Bolton last week.

There were plenty of opportunities to double the home advantage before half time. Pavlyuckenko took aim with a dipping shot which Cech palmed away. David Bentley's close-range jab was deflected by Terry. Younes Kaboul came up for a corner and headed powerfully but straight at Cech.

But Bale delivered. Two minutes before the interval, he made mincemeat of Paulo Ferreira, jinked inside his man, and proved himself surprisingly deadly with his right foot. Cech was certainly stunned as the effervescent Welshman arrowed his shot in at the near post.

Chelsea to replicate their commanding performance at Old Trafford at the beginning of the month. Hmmm. For 45 minutes here his team were second best. Outmanouevred in midfield, outrun at the back, and snuffed out up front, they were startled.

They managed a couple of efforts from Malouda – one saved and another ruled out for offside – and Heurelho Gomes came to Tottenham's rescue once again as he repelled Frank Lampard's volley. But, uncharacteristically, they struggled to mount any sustained pressure. Ancelotti, who had already brought on Michael Ballack in the first half for Mikel, threw on Branislav Ivanovic and Nicolas Anelka for the restart. Ridiculously, Didier Drogba pulled up jusr before the whistle, feeling his groin, and limped to the touchline. Ancelotti wasn't interested. Drogba had no choice but to play on.

Chelsea cracked again, as Defoe was released for a one-on-one. Cech clawed away. Frustration began to gnaw, and Lampard kicked out at Tom Huddlestone. Tempers frayed as both sets of players sprinted to the scene of a little dust-up.

Just what they needed at such a delicate moment was for Terry to start lunging into tackles with reckless imprecision. So soon after the dangerous pounce at James Milner's knee, Fabio Capello again watched as the deposed England captain overstepped the line of riskiness. Two late tackles within three minutes left Dowd with no option but to dismiss Terry for two bookable offences.

Cech kept the scoreline respectable when he backpedalled to tip over Bentley's lob. Then Michael Dawson dispossessed Drogba with a cool, clean tackle as the Ivorian shaped to strike with seven minutes remaining. Chelsea did cause some late nerves when Lampard poked in Ballack's cross in stoppage time, and Pavluchenko flunked the chance to wrap it up on the counter-attack. Tottenham deservedly hung on for another huge result.

Malouda Eyes History

Florent Malouda believes Chelsea can use the recent victory over Manchester United to inspire them on to a historic Double.

The Blues face Portsmouth in the FA Cup final next month and are also four points clear at the top on the Premier League with just four games to play.

While Chelsea have not won at Spurs for two seasons, Malouda believes they can grab a victory this time, inspired by their recent 2-1 win over champions Man United at Old Trafford.

The midfielder told SunSport: "Maybe this (winning at White Hart Lane) is a way for us to show that this is our year. We have a chance to change recent history by beating Spurs and to make history too by winning the Double.

"I lost there last season and we also lost in the Carling Cup final to them. The crowd and the atmosphere is very hostile towards us at White Hart Lane.

"But the inspiration for us has to be the game at Old Trafford three weeks ago. When we play like that against a team like Man Utd we know we can get results against anyone."

The Blues are currently hot favourites with Sky Bet to win the Premier League but Malouda is taking nothing for granted as the side aim to win the title in Carlo Ancelotti's first season as boss.

He added: "We know we cannot relax because there is still a lot to be done. Step by step, game by game is how we are approaching it but of course we wish that the manager can win in his first season."

Malouda believes Chelsea have been inspired towards the Double by their UEFA Champions League quarter-final exit to Inter Milan, going on to be unbeaten in their last six league and FA Cup games, including five successive wins.

He said: "We have had problems and bad moments - losing to Inter was one. But we had the tools to find an answer and we can now win two trophies."

He also believes they have learned from the experience of their last-gasp loss to Barcelona in the Champions League last term.

"Even last year after we lost to Barcelona in the semi we reacted well, won the FA Cup and that taught us a lesson. This season it's just as difficult to win the Premier League as it is the Champions League," he said.

"Look at the teams you have to beat to win the Premier League. Add Man City who have caused us big problems this year and you know this is a very tough competition."

Anelka: Destiny Is In Our Hands

As one of our more decorated players, Nicolas Anelka has already achieved one double in English football.

While at Arsenal, a young Frenchman was part of Arsene Wenger's 1998 side which dominated in both the League and Cup.

Now, as we near the end of the season, another brace of trophies for Anelka is a possibility and as we prepare to face Tottenham at White Hart Lane, the Official Club Website asked him about the feeling inside the Chelsea camp.

'There's a little bit of stress because we are not far but it is not done yet,' explains Anelka.

'We want to be quick in this game and finish with a win, then win the two next games and make sure we win the League because we have been working for this since the beginning of the season.

'We are near the end but we have to make sure we win so we can celebrate. It is a strange situation because it is almost done but we still have to stay focused and work hard until the very end.

'But it is good to be in this situation because our destiny is in our hands,' added our number 39.

Another three points will obviously get us closer to the title, but Anelka knows, having travelled to White Hart Lane as both an Arsenal and Chelsea player, the London derby is always a difficult fixture.

Last time there, Guus Hiddink suffered his first defeat in charge of the Blues. It turned out to be his only loss but it's an occurrence no one wants repeated.

'It is always a tough game to play,' says Anelka. 'It is a derby and it is always hard to win against them away from home.

'It's also going to be tough because they have just beaten Arsenal and they are in good shape, so they will make it difficult for us. They have a good pitch and a good stadium; it is very hard to play against Tottenham. Also with the fans it is quite hostile but we get used to this.

'Everywhere we play, because it is Chelsea, everyone wants to beat us, so we're ready for this game.

'You have to be ready to fight on the pitch because it is going to be a strong match, with plenty of tackles, an aggressive game. So we know it is going to be tough but we have the players who can handle that.'

The midweek win over Arsenal is likely to spur Tottenham, although it did need several saves from keeper Heurelo Gomes to preserve the narrow winning margin.

'He is a good goalkeeper, he had a fantastic game against Arsenal but we have a lot of players who can score goals,' points out Anelka, 'so we will try to do our best to come back with a win.'