The race for the title: How Chelsea and Manchester United measure up

13 April 2012
CHELSEA'S FIVE KEY MOMENTS

September 19: Jose Out

Chelsea sack Jose Mourinho, the club's most successful manager, and replace him with director of football Avram Grant.

October 3: Valencia 1 Chelsea 2

Grant's first big win as Chelsea come from behind to silence the Mestalla.

Outstanding: Joe Cole

March 23: Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1

A Drogba double in the last 16 minutes caps another fightback and Chelsea ease ahead of Arsenal into second place.

April 22: Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1

The game is deep in stoppage time when John Arne Riise heads Salomon Kalou's cross into his own net and injects new belief into Chelsea's chase for their twin targets — the Barclays Premier League and Champions League.

April 26: Chelsea 2 Man Utd 1

Two Michael Ballack goals haul Chelsea level on points with United at the top of the league.

FIVE TIMES CHELSEA COULD HAVE WOBBLED...BUT DIDN'T

September 23: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0

With Mourinho gone and rumours of dressing room unrest, Chelsea go down to 10 men at Old Trafford when John Mikel Obi is sent off and concede seconds before halftime. Chelsea bounce back to beat Hull City 4-0 in the Carling Cup.

December 16: Arsenal 1 Chelsea 0

A Petr Chech mistake allows William Gallas to inflict defeat on his former club. John Terry breaks his foot and is ruled out for two months. Three days later, Chelsea knock Liverpool out of the Carling Cup.

Cup shocks

An Embarrassing FA Cup exit at Barnsley follows soon after defeat to Spurs in the Carling Cup Final. Grant weathers a fierce storm of criticism and Chelsea take it out on Derby, whom they thrash 6-1.

March 19: Spurs 4 Chelsea 4

Having been in front three times at White Hart Lane, Chelsea need Carlo Cudicini's superb reaction save in added time to stop Dimitar Berbatov winning the game for Spurs.

April 14: Chelsea 1 Wigan 1

Emile Heskey's last-gasp equaliser seems to have shattered Chelsea's title dream but they beat Everton at Goodison three days later.

CHELSEA'S FIVE BEST GOALS

Alex at Middlesbrough, October 20

A screaming free-kick ripped into the net. Juliano Belletti at Wigan, November 3

A rampaging run from right back and a drive from distance, fading into the top corner.

Andriy Shevchenko at home to Aston Villa, December 26

A Christmas treat, a dipping 25-yarder from Shevchenko. Oh, that's what he does.

Belletti at home to Spurs, January 12

See Belletti's goal at Wigan. But this was against Spurs, always sweeter for Chelsea fans.

Michael Ballack at West Ham, March 1

Teutonic technique; Ballack meets Frank Lampard's cross on the bounce and lashes it into the bottom corner.

FIVE REASONS TO ADMIRE CHELSEA

Durability: A club record nine straight wins through January (eight of them by a goal) when Grant's squad was ravaged by injuries and Africa Cup of Nations absentees.

Petr Cech: 50 stitches in a facial wound? No problem, I'll play next week.

Frank Lampard: 100 goals from midfield, never shirks responsibility... and that penalty.

English core: Lampard, Terry, Wayne Bridge, Shaun Wright-Phillips and two Coles.

Michael Ballack: Finally showed what all the fuss is about. A man for the big moment.

FIVE REASONS TO NOT TO ADMIRE CHELSEA

Didier Drogba's histrionics: diving, moaning, longing to leave. Please go.

Conspiracy theories: The FA, UEFA, FIFA, refs, media, world. Everyone's against them.

Ashley Cole: Turning his back on Mike Riley is indicative of Chelsea's lack of respect for refs.

Global domination: The shameless pursuit of which suggests they care more about fans they don't have than those they do.

Atmosphere: Free flags and professional singers wailing 'Blue Is The Colour'. Contrived.

CHELSEA'S PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Joe Cole was outstanding early on but Ballack has been the driving force of the title chase.

CHELSEA'S DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE SEASON

Andriy Shevchenko. The £30m flop tops bids from Florent Malouda, Steve Sidwell, Claudio Pizarro and Tal Ben Haim.

Scroll down to read more:

Worth the entrance fee alone: Ronaldo

MANCHESTER UNITED'S FIVE KEY MOMENTS

August 26: Man Utd 1 Tottenham 0

United took just two points from their first three League games, but Nani's first goal for the club sparked an eight-game winning Barclays Premier League hot streak.

September 23: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0

United play a demoralised Chelsea at Old Trafford in the aftermath of Jose Mourinho's sacking. They struggle until Carlos Tevez heads home his first and one of his most vital goals for the club late in the first half.

February 16: Man Utd 4 Arsenal 0

Arsenal lead the League by five points, but an under-strength team leaves Old Trafford chastened by a hammering in the FA Cup. The Gunners are never the same again.

March 23: Man Utd 3 Liverpool 0

United are locked in a tight tussle with their great rivals. Then Javier Mascherano talks his way to a red card.

April 13: Man Utd 2 Arsenal 1

The champions are a goal down and being outplayed. Then William Gallas needlessly handles to give United a penalty. They win the game and Arsenal's challenge is dead.

FIVE TIMES MANCHESTER UNITED COULD HAVE WOBBLED...BUT DIDN'T

August 19: Man City 1 Man Utd 0

Uunited are going down and City are heading for the Champions League. United won their next eight and City didn't.

Naughty November: Arsenal 2 Man Utd 2, Bolton 1 Man Utd 0

A late goal at the Emirates and defeat at the Reebok loosen United's wheel nuts, but they don't come off.

December

United's Christmas party ends in Rio Ferdinand copping flak from the boss. But they still win five League games.

March 15: Derby 0 Man Utd 1

A goalkeeping crisis shoves Ben Foster into the limelight. He makes two great saves and Ronaldo wins it late. Priceless.

April 26: Chelsea 2 Man Utd 1

A makeshift team, a rubbish display and a fight with Chelsea groundstaff. United respond by beating Barcelona three days later.

FIVE BEST GOALS

Cristiano Ronaldo at home to Portsmouth, January 30

Fergie calls it the best free-kick he has ever seen. It's not that good but it's close.

Ronaldo at Derby, March 15

Not the most spectacular he has scored but the technique as he converts Wayne Rooney's cross is exquisite.

Nani at home to Liverpool, March 23

There is nothing sweeter than beating the enemy. Nani's left-foot rocket finishes them off. Pepe Reina doesn't even dive.

Ronaldo at home to Aston Villa, March 29

You are supposed to score with back heels only in training or if you're Denis Law. Ronaldo writes his own script with this one. Again.

Carlos Tevez at home to West Ham, May 3

Tevezoften does important but rarely does spectacular. On this occasion he does both as a rocket from 30 yards almost breaks the net.

FIVE REASONS TO ADMIRE UNITED

Cristiano Ronaldo: The best since Cantona. Perhaps just the best.

Sir Alex Ferguson: What would we do without him apart from miss him?

Ryan Giggs: Talented, modest and team-orientated. What a shame he isn't English.

Rio Ferdinand: A proper defender at last and now an England captain. Who would have thought it?

Goals: Dozens of them.

...AND FIVE REASONS NOT TO ADMIRE UNITED

Ronaldo: What is it with the petulance, still? You are not the only player ever to be fouled.

Ferguson: Can we have just one post-match press conference please? It's not that painful.

MUTV: Bland, boring and repetitive. Now other clubs are copying it.

Match day: 17 League titles and still no atmosphere. Come on, try harder...

Tickets: Stop making your fans buy tickets for cup games they don't care about. It's wrong.

UNITED'S PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Cristiano Ronaldo was worth the season ticket money on his own.

UNITED'S DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE SEASON

Owen Hargreaves was bought as the final piece in the jigsaw but he is currently a £17m emergency right back.

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