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Man Utd inch closer
Just as the Premier League title race had looked to be fading into another Manchester United stroll to the line, a Roque Santa Cruz goal had Chelsea daring to believe that they were about to engage United in the most thrilling one game head to head for the crown since Arsenal's 2-0 win against Liverpool at Anfield in 1989.
A point,their kingdom for a point. That was all United needed here to keep their hands firmly on the title tiller. But for 88 minutes it looked as though Blackburn would send them back down the M61 empty handed, which would have invited Chelsea to overtake United by beating them at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Desperation can inspire sides to unexpected heights. Seemingly dead and buried a fortnight ago after losing 4-0 at Aston Villa, Bolton are up to fifth-bottom after a second successive victory. In the end it was probably deserved, but Middlesbrough will wonder how on earth they let slip a game which they dominated with almost embarrassing ease in the opening 15 minutes.
After impressive performances against Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea, Gareth Southgate was keen to point out that his side had lost only one of their previous six, but the more relevant detail yesterday was the fact that they have now won just one of their last nine. Boro seem perpetually to match their performances to the quality of the opposition and however good they have been at times this season, the reality is that they lie just five points above the relegation zone.
Arsenal's determination to shake off massive disappointment plunged Reading deeper into the mire yesterday. While the Gunners put those Champions League and title setbacks at Liverpool and Manchester United behind them with a commanding performance, Reading failed to halt their spiral towards the relegation zone.Arsenal are now four points behind Chelsea and the second place in the Premier League they crave. Reading, on the other hand, remain dangerously close to the bottom three and are in the sort of form that causes concern. With two away games to come, and only one at home, they have it all to do to stay with the elite.
Manchester City produced a timely riposte yesterday to reports that owner Thaksin Shinawatra may displace Sven Goran Eriksson as manager during the summer, turning in one of their best displays of the season to beat Portsmouth.
Two miles apart across a divided city, Aston Villa and Birmingham City are moving rapidly in opposite directions. As Villa stage a belated charge for a European place, Birmingham are heading back towards the Championship.Villa can put themselves into contention for the Uefa Cup place on offer for fifth place if they beat Everton next Sunday,Birmingham, who had only been in the bottom three for a week back in August before Bolton's win on Saturday, have three games to turn around a season that is slipping away.
Bensala
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