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/ 26 April 2008

Ballack double keeps Chelsea’s dreams alive

Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-1 in a dramatic match at Stamford Bridge on Saturday to pull level at the top of the Premier League and keep alive their hopes of snatching the title from United’s grasp. Michael Ballack was Chelsea’s scoring hero, deciding the game with an 86th-minute penalty after heading the home side ahead at the end of the first half.

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/ 9 April 2008

Ballack helps Chelsea into semifinal

Michael Ballack put Chelsea on course for another Champions League semifinal collision with Liverpool as his goal set up a 2-0 win over Fenerbahce in Tuesday’s quarterfinal, second leg. Ballack’s first-half header was followed by a late Frank Lampard strike at Stamford Bridge to send Avram Grant’s side through 3-2 on aggregate.

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/ 30 March 2008

Chelsea keep pressure on United with narrow win

Chelsea kept their Premier League title hopes alive with a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Sunday but their performance would have caused few alarms for leaders Manchester United. Ricardo Carvalho’s well-placed header inside the opening six minutes at Stamford Bridge proved sufficient for Avram Grant’s side to close the gap to five points.

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/ 2 March 2008

Arsenal stay top but United slash lead

Arsenal left it late to stay top of the Premier League as second-placed champions Manchester United closed to within a point on Saturday. The Gunners were seconds away from being knocked off top spot at the Emirates Stadium when Nicklas Bendtner cancelled out an early Philippe Senderos own-goal to secure a 1-1 home draw against Aston Villa.

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/ 7 February 2008

Capello off to a winning start

England improved dramatically as the match progressed to give Italian Fabio Capello a winning start as coach with a 2-1 victory over Switzerland in a friendly international at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday. Midfielder Jermaine Jenas scored his first England goal and the first of the Capello era with a first-time left foot shot.

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/ 9 January 2008

Wright-Phillips leads Chelsea charge

Shaun Wright-Phillips scored a goal and forced an own-goal in injury time to give 10-man Chelsea a 2-1 win over Everton on Tuesday in the first leg of the English League Cup semifinals. Wright-Phillips, who put Chelsea ahead 1-0 in the first half, duelled in front of the net for a high ball with Everton’s Joleon Lescott, who inadvertently knocked the ball into his own goal.

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/ 2 January 2008

Top English trio start New Year in triumph

It was a case of as you were at the head of the English Premier League as the top three sides all enjoyed a winning start to 2008. Leaders Arsenal remained two points in front with a 2-0 New Year’s Day victory over West Ham at the Emirates Stadium. Elsewhere on Tuesday, Manchester United stayed hot on Arsenal’s heels after a 1-0 success at home to Birmingham City.

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/ 26 December 2007

Arsenal hope that history repeats itself

Arsenal have enjoyed Christmas Day at the top of the Premier League standings — and are hoping that history repeats itself and keeps them top at the end of the season. The club at the top at Christmas have won the league for the past three years — Manchester United last season and Chelsea in 2005 and 2006.

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/ 2 December 2007

Adebayor sends Arsenal five points clear

Emmanuel Adebayor sent Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League as Arsene Wenger’s side won 2-1 against Aston Villa on Saturday. Adebayor headed the winner to extend Arsenal’s lead over second placed Chelsea after Mathieu Flamini had cancelled out Craig Gardner’s opener at Villa Park.

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/ 29 November 2007

Chelsea, Milan advance in Europe

Didier Drogba scored twice in the opening 20 minutes as Chelsea stormed into the knockout stages of the European Champions League with a 4-0 triumph at Norway’s Rosenborg Trondheim. Drogba gave Chelsea an early cushion, with Alex and Joe Cole grabbing the other goals as Chelsea clinched first place in group B.

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/ 28 October 2007

United fly high as Chelsea hit City for six

Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez fired Manchester United back to the top of the Premier League on Saturday, as Chelsea served warning that their own title challenge is still alive after the departure of Jose Mourinho. United’s 4-1 demolition of Middlesbrough at Old Trafford continued a rich vein of form for the champions, who have won eight consecutive matches in the league.

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/ 4 October 2007

Liverpool upset in Champions League

AC Milan and Liverpool were upset in the Champions League on Wednesday, and Chelsea won 2-1 at Valencia with a late goal from Didier Drogba. Defending champion Milan lost at Celtic 2-1 after a 90th-minute goal from Scott McDonald. After the goal, a fan ran onto the field and made contact with Milan goalkeeper Dida.