Manchester United and Arsenal have warned Chelsea that the race for the Premiership title is still alive, despite the cash-drenched Stamford Bridge side having taken an iron grip at the top.
Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea go into the final game of the gruelling Christmas and New Year period on Tuesday against Middlesbrough with a five-point lead over defending champions Arsenal and a huge, 12-point advantage over United.
But United striker Alan Smith insisted that his Old Trafford teammates, who face a resurgent Tottenham on Tuesday, are in no mood to surrender their pursuit.
”I don’t know who the pressure is on,” said Smith after United kept in touch with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday.
”But I know we’re not feeling it. We have experienced players in our dressing room who have been there and done it all before.
”We’ll be there right until the end. So, if we keep picking up three points every game, then who knows? But we’re really confident.
”We’ve still got to play each of the two teams above us. If we pick up points in all the vital games, then we will be right there until the end.”
Chelsea, who clinched a fortunate 1-0 win at Liverpool on Saturday that led many observers to believe that luck is very much on their side, go into their game against Middlesbrough with fears over a bug that is sweeping through the club.
”We have a new player among us called virus,” said Mourinho. ”It is the flu virus, it is the stomach virus, it is the throat virus. Everybody is full of it — me, my assistant, John Terry, Wayne Bridge is in bed, Alexei Smertin is in bed.”
There may be illness in the club, but Chelsea’s form is in rude health.
They clinched four successive wins over Christmas, didn’t concede a goal and have now dropped just four points in the past 42.
”We have survived a crucial period, so far, and now we have just Middlesbrough at home on Tuesday to go in this tough spell,” said Mourinho.
”We approached Christmas knowing there were four difficult matches, two of them away at Portsmouth and Liverpool, which were very demanding.
”A lot of people felt that Chelsea could drop four or five points over this period and it has been important to show what we are and that we are there at the top for a reason.
”Chelsea last season were doing well but lost consecutive matches in this period and disappeared from the fight.
”Maybe a lot of people were saying it could happen again. So this has been our answer and it will give us even more confidence and self-belief, and it shows to Manchester United and Arsenal that they have to fight and play well but it will be difficult for them to catch us.”
Arsenal are at home to Manchester City on Tuesday with boss Arsene Wenger backing inspirational skipper Patrick Vieira to lead the Gunners in their pursuit of Chelsea.
The French midfielder’s form dipped at the start of the season, a result of him being linked with a move to Real Madrid, but now he is back to his best, says his coach.
”For a while, he hadn’t been completely right. But technically and physically, he is now as good as he can be,” said Wenger.
Wenger’s resources are being stretched. Gilberto, Edu and Mathieu Flamini were all injured for the trip to The Valley on Saturday when Arsenal won 3-1, where they were also without Dennis Bergkamp, Jose Antonio Reyes and Lauren.
”We don’t want to have another defeat, but I think Chelsea aren’t my worry at the moment. I go step by step — 40 points, then Europe, the Champions League and the championship,” said Wenger.
However, Wenger insisted he has not been surprised by Chelsea’s strong title challenge this season.
”They already had a good team, they finished second last year and they bought some good players — Arjen Robben is a real addition to the squad and they bought Didier Drogba as well,” he added.
”They had a few bucks to spend, so you can always find a few good players!” — Sapa-AFP