- REUTERS
Chelsea players celebrate winning the English Premier League after their 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge yesterday.LONDON (Reuters):
CHELSEA STAGED a Premier League title-winning party after a 3-0 rout of Manchester United yesterday, but it was doom and gloom for Midlands clubs Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion who were relegated.
Goals from William Gallas, Joe Cole and Ricardo Carvalho sealed a second successive title for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and United's misery was complete when England striker Wayne Rooney was carried off on a stretcher with a foot injury.
Liverpool kept alive their hopes of pipping United for second place, moving level on points with their rivals after Steven Gerrard scored twice in a 3-1 defeat of Aston Villa.
United and Liverpool both have 79 points to Chelsea's 91, although United are still favourites to finish second as they have an extra game remaining.
A REMARKABLE ESCAPE
Chelsea's joy was mirrored by Portsmouth's fans at Wigan Athletic's JJB Stadium where a 2-1 victory for the south coast side completed a remarkable escape from the drop.
For the second week running Pompey, who looked destined for relegation two months ago, came from a goal behind to clinch victory with a Matt Taylor penalty.
Portsmouth's victory condemned Birmingham, who could only draw 0-0 at home to Newcastle United, and West Brom, who play West Ham United tomorrow. They will join Sunderland in the second division next season.
"I had to throw a team together at Christmas," said Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, who returned for a second spell at the club in December to replace Frenchman Alain Perrin.
"I took over a poor squad, with many players who were nowhere near good enough to play for Pompey.
"I shipped the ones out who weren't interested in playing for and brought in players who wanted to play for this club. We've got a great spirit here."
While Rooney's foot injury, which will be scanned today, cast a shadow over England's World Cup hopes, the return of Michael Owen as a second-half substitute for Newcastle at least offered some good news for national coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Two days after an astonishing 4-3 aggregate win over Steaua Bucharest in the UEFA Cup semi-final, Middlesbrough made nine changes and lost 1-0 at home to a late goal by Everton.
Fulham, without an away league victory for 12 months, ended that dismal sequence when Steed Malbranque netted a last-gasp winner in a 2-1 victory at Manchester City.
Charlton Athletic's long-serving manager Alan Curbishley announced he will resign at the end of the season before his side hosted Blackburn Rovers in the day's late kickoff.
The battle for fourth spot continues today when Tottenham Hotspur welcome Bolton Wanderers looking
to consolidate the final Champions League qualification spot.
Fifth-placed Arsenal, who are four points behind Spurs with a game in hand, play at bottom club Sunderland tomorrow.
Manager throws medals to fansLONDON (AP):
JOSE MOURINHO threw his medals to Chelsea fans celebrating their second Premier League title in a row yesterday after a 3-0 victory over Manchester United.
Then the Chelsea manager said how unhappy he was that his team didn't get the credit it deserved and revealed he had twice considered leaving Stamford Bridge.
"During the season I have thought a couple of times to close the door and say goodbye," Mourinho said. "Not at that moment but to do it at the end of the season.
"I won nine consecutive matches at the start of the season and, after that, I won a lot more matches. I was never, never, never manager of the month. Not one single time. I'm here for two years. In two years I am champion and I'm manager of the month twice in two years."
TREATED IN A NEGATIVE WAY
Mourinho complained that Chelsea was "treated in a very negative way".
"I'm happy to stay because it's a pleasure to work with this club and these people, but the feeling is always a negative feeling," he said. "I should be the happiest manager in the world and I'm not. And it makes me think because I want to be happy."
Mourinho said he threw his Premier League winners' medal into the crowd because he already had one from last season. When he was given a replacement, he threw that one to the crowd as well, explaining that the fans had played a major part in Chelsea's 44-game unbeaten run at home.
William Gallas, Joe Cole and Ricardo Carvalho scored at Stamford Bridge to take their team to 91 points. Second-place United have 79.
