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