The Premier League have ruled out any
prospect of Chelsea meeting Manchester United in a title showdown
after the final day's fixtures have been completed on May 13.
With both clubs advancing to the FA Cup semi-finals last night,
their scheduled league clash on April 15 at Stamford Bridge has now
been postponed.
For Chelsea in particular, this represents a problem because Jose
Mourinho's men are running out of free dates in the fixture
calendar.
With both championship challengers using a free midweek in the
middle of next month to play games that have had to be called off
on Easter Monday because of their European commitments, the only
spare dates remaining are between the final two games of the
season.
However, Chelsea's situation is complicated by Spurs' UEFA Cup
quarter-final meeting with Sevilla in Spain on April 5.
Although the La Liga outfit are attempting to get the game moved
because of the major religious festival which takes place in the
town at that time, if UEFA say no, Tottenham are entitled to ask
for their following Premiership game - at Chelsea on the Saturday -
to be put back 24 hours.
But with Chelsea due to travel to Spain themselves to face Valencia
in the Champions League the following Tuesday, manager Jose
Mourinho seems sure to resist the switch, a move which could see
that game shifted to the last week of the season as well.
One logical way of solving the logjam, and ensuring Chelsea do not
have to play four games in the final week of the campaign, would be
for the Premier League to put the United encounter back given the
match will affect no-one but the two sides involved.
However, League sources have rejected the idea and insist the
season will finish as planned.
CHELSEA'S POSSIBLE FIXTURE PILE-UP
Sat, March 31 - Watford (a) - Premiership
Wed, April 4 - Valencia (h) - Champions League
*Sat, April 7 - Tottenham (h) - Premiership
Tue, April 10 - Valencia (a) - Champions League
Sun, April 15 - Blackburn (neutral venue) - FA Cup
Wed, April 18 - West Ham (a) - Premiership
Sat, April 21 - Newcastle (a) - Premiership
**Tue/Wed, April 24/25 - Liverpool or PSV Eindhoven - Champs
League
Sat, April 28 - Bolton (h) - Premiership
**Tue/Wed, May 1/2 - Liverpool or PSV Eindhoven - Champs
League
Sat, May 5 - Arsenal (a) - Premiership
***Tue, May 8 - Manchester United (h) - Premiership
***Thu, May 10 - Tottenham (h) - Premiership
Sun, May 13 - Everton (h) - Premiership
**Sat, May 19 - FA Cup Final (Wembley)
**Wed, May 23 - Champions League Final (Athens)
*Subject to postponement; **Subject to winning matches in previous
round; ***Not yet arranged