Early Start Gives Chelsea Title Hope

Chelsea have the chance to apply some pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester United on Saturday.

Champions Chelsea have the chance to apply some pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester United on Saturday when they host Tottenham Hotspur in a lunchtime kickoff.

United have won their last seven league matches but injury-hit Chelsea are refusing to surrender the title lightly, also putting together a seven-match winning sequence to keep the gap down to a manageable six points.

Should Chelsea beat their London rivals they will slice United's lead in half before the Reds meet mid-table Portsmouth in an early evening kick off on the south coast.

The Easter programme often proves decisive in England, although due to their Champions League quarter-final commitments Chelsea and United will play just one league game.

Apart from starting before United on Saturday, Chelsea, who drew 1-1 with Valencia on Wednesday, will have another advantage in that sixth-placed Tottenham were in UEFA Cup quarter-final action against Sevilla in Spain on Thursday night with less than 48 hours recovery time.

However, coach Jose Mourinho will be wary of a Spurs side who have also won their last five league games and who led 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in a scintillating FA Cup quarter-final last month before being pegged back to 3-3.

Chelsea went on to win the replay 2-1, reversing their defeat by the same score when the sides met at White Hart Lane in the league earlier in the season, Tottenham's first league victory over Chelsea since 1990.

POMPEY PITFALLS

United manager Alex Ferguson will also be fully aware of the pitfalls of Portsmouth's antiquated Fratton Park stadium. United lost 1-0 there in April 2004 to virtually drop out of the title race.

Arsenal and Liverpool's battle for third place continues on Saturday with Arsenal at home to West Ham United and Liverpool, who virtually booked their place in the last four of the Champions League on Tuesday with a 3-0 win at PSV Eindhoven, away at Reading.

With Liverpool not in action in Monday's Bank Holiday programme, Arsenal can take advantage with an away game against Newcastle United.

The relegation dogfight could take some crucial twists and turns over the weekend.

Watford, 11 points from safety, look doomed but the two sides immediately above them have rediscovered some form just when everything looked lost.

Victories over Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough have lifted West Ham to within five points of 17th-placed Sheffield United and London rivals Charlton Athletic have taken 10 points from 12 to stand one point away from escaping the drop zone.

On paper West Ham's trip to Arsenal looks ominous, although Arsenal's listless form and West Ham's victory over the Gunners earlier in the season will provide them with hope.

Charlton can climb out of the bottom three when they travel to Manchester City, themselves still in relegation trouble, on Friday. They then have a home game against Reading on Monday.

"Our destiny is in our own hands and the Easter period is going to be critical starting with the Manchester City match," said Charlton manager Alan Pardew.

Even 11th-placed Newcastle United are only seven points above the relegation zone with seven matches to play, so there will be some serious nail-biting around the lower regions of the Premier League this weekend.

Newcastle, who have managed just one point and no goals in their last four games, are at Sheffield United on Saturday.