Crystal musings.....

.....okay I havent blogged for a while but decided to respond to Sir Alex Ferguson's comments that his team and the premiership title race is in "knockdown". In other words games are running out for Chelsea.

Looking at the run in for both teams one would have to agree. For Chelsea to win the League from here assumes the following:

Chelsea do not come unstuck against teams outside the top four: like Portsmouth away in their next premiership match, a team that, although falling down the table after early season promise, is well organised with passionate home support. Bolton are in the mix for both teams as are the relegation threatened sides fighting tooth and nail for their own title-premiership status potential banana skins for both sides. Conversely Man U may need to slip up against these sides.

Chelsea will also have to beat Man U at home to have a chance of winning the title-its where Mourinho himself claims three of the current six point gap will come from. But with the title at stake and the comparative goalscoring form of both teams those three points are not banked-even though Chelsea are unbeaten at home for many a full time whistle a draw could be on the cards-priceless for the current league leaders.

Then there is Chelsea's visit to the Emirates stadium where Arsenal are so far unbeaten.

Many Chelsea fans are looking at Liverpool to do to Man U what they did to the Blues earlier in the season. But if that match is to count on the final day of the season, under the assumption both teams know the importance of not losing to any other opposition, the north london visit is the holders equivalent and a win is a must else the three points "gained" if at all after a Liverpool victory would revert to a two or even three point deficit.

But that only solves one headache for the would be hat trick champions. There is also a 16 goal difference gap between the teams in the Red Devils favour. If all the above does transpire how Chelsea need to-a victory over both top four reds from manchester and london and Liverpool supply a favour at Anfield the points gap will be closed and the goal difference may shrink across those fixtures.

But in the intervening fixtures Chelsea need to apply a new tactic to one Mourinho, great manager that he is, has so far been unwilling to employ.

Mourinho is happy getting the job done and seeing it through. Winning 1-0 and then controlling the game at 1-0 is winning.

But to bring the goal difference back to a title winning position will entail smashing a few teams along the way like Man U have so far this season. This means keeping pressure on a team 1 or 2 nil down to get a third or a fourth.

Much as it may seem like after the fact predicting I do hope my thoughts after Man U's thumping of Fulham at the beginning of the season do not come back to haunt me: Man U to win the league on goal difference.