From left: Chelsea's Claude Makelele, Didier Drogba, Hernan Crespo and Michael Essien celebrate after Crespo's goal against West Ham during their English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge, London yesterday. Chelsea won 4-1. - REUTERS
LONDON (Reuters):
TEN-MAN Chelsea roared back from a goal down to trounce West
Ham United 4-1 and move closer to a second consecutive Premier League title
yesterday, despite a 2-0 win for Manchester United over Arsenal.
With five games left, champions Chelsea have 82 points seven more than second-place United after England striker Wayne Rooney scored one and made the other for South Korean Park Ji-sung in a pulsating clash at Old Trafford.
Third-place Liverpool stay five points behind United, having played a game more, after striker Robbie Fowler celebrated his 31st birthday with the winner in a 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers. Newcastle United beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at the Riverside in the northeast derby, while the Midlands derby finished 0-0 between Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion.
United's victory provided a rousing finale to the weekend's action and dealt a body blow to sixth-place Arsenal's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League.
But Chelsea remain on course for a second league title, despite going a goal down yesterday and facing a crunch match at home to United on April 29 at Stamford Bridge.
James Collins headed West Ham into a 10th minute lead and Chelsea's Portugal midfielder Maniche was red-carded six minutes later for a rash tackle on Lionel Scaloni.
Jose Mourinho's 10 men rose to the challenge, with Ivorian Didier Drogba levelling in the 29th minute and Argentine strike partner Hernan Crespo putting them ahead two minutes later.
Goals from defenders John Terry and William Gallas put the London derby beyond doubt in the second half.
Mourinho told Sky Sports: "With 10 men for more than an hour, to go from 0-1 to 4-1 is impressive. The team played well from the first minute and the spirit was amazing.
"There was no fear of playing to win with 10 men and the character of the players was unbelievable ... We had so much of the game it looked like we had 12 players and not 10."
Mourinho also shrugged off the title threat from United before Alex Ferguson's men had kicked off at Old Trafford.
"We showed that it doesn't matter what Manchester United do, they can win, they can beat Arsenal we don't depend on their results," he said.
"We can just get the results we need to be champions."
United made a slow start against Arsenal in the day's late kick-off but gradually built up the momentum before securing a deserved ninth consecutive league win.
Rooney fired United in front with a superb finish on 54 minutes and then provided the cut back for Park to slide home their killer second in the 78th minute.
Defeat for Arsenal leaves them further away from the Champions League next season.
Liverpool have one slot in the qualifiers while the other is held by fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur, who have 58 points. Blackburn Rovers are fifth on 54, a point ahead of Arsenal, who have a game in hand and play Portsmouth on Wednesday.
Arsenal face Villarreal in the semi-finals of this season's Champions League.
