Bin Laden dead from Heskey miscue

The title race, from being something of a procession, is now on a knife edge again. The Manchester United-Chelsea match has now become a title decider. If United get any result, they will be favourites, but if Chelsea win, the title will be in their hands. Who would have said that ten games ago? Other than that, the teams around the bottom five all picked up points bar West Ham, so the merrygodown goes on.

Chelsea didn’t so much share a kiss with Lady Luck as violate her chastity at Stamford Bridge. Spurs travelled to their bogey ground hoping to derive some kind of result to keep them with a hope of securing a Champions’ League place for next season, and thought they may have got it. After Didier Drogba had pummelled the crossbar with a free-kick, Tottenham took the lead from out of nowhere. Rafael Van Der Vaart expertly took an awkward ball under his spell and flicked it over his head for Sandro to crash a first-time half-volley past Petr Cech. Heurelho Gomes tipped a close-range Essien header over, while Torres couldn’t readjust as another corner was flicked across the box by Drogba. John Motson, in his senility, proclaimed Gomes to be having a good game, thus provoking the Brazilian into his usual disaster. Frank Lampard struck a long-ranger straight into the Brazilian’s body, yet seconds later Gomes was scrambling behind him to claw it away from the line, successfully as it would happen. The linesman, however, despite having an impossible view, decided to use guesswork for a decision that required certainty. If he was certain, then he is blind. Chelsea were unjustifiably level, and it got worse for Spurs. Gomes almost cost them again, when he could only bat another Drogba free-kick out in front of him, only to be let off as Salomon Kalou did his usual comical screw-up in blazing the chance over. Chelsea were livid when Younes Kaboul was extremely fortunate not to concede a penalty for a dubious challenge inside the box, but Chelsea snatched victory from the jaws of draws, when a goalmouth scramble saw Anelka and Drogba get in each other’s way, before Drogba screwed a hopeless shot going well wide, until it found Kalou, lurking a half-yard offside, who put it in. Two awful officials’ decisions that will haunt Tottenham next season.

Arsenal stuck two fingers up to their detractors, as Manchester United put in an appalling performance to leave their title charge in the balance. From first to last minute the Gunners bossed this game. Theo Walcott was as wasteful as ever, blazing over from point-blank range when a delightful Clichy cross found him in the middle. A Wilshere cross-shot then almost found the England winger lurking at the back post, before an alert Evra intercepted. United were thanking their lucky stars later, when a Walcott cross was headed right on to the head of Robin Van Persie, before the desperate Nemanja Vidic reached out a hand to divert it with his fingertips. Unbelievably, the linesman did not see that the Serbian defender clearly could not have reached it with his head, and there was nothing blocking the view of his arm stretching in front of him. A Wayne Rooney free-kick was well saved, but Arsenal finally got what they deserved in the 56^th minute, with Van Persie dribbling into the box and feinting, before laying back to Aaron Ramsey, who slotted it in nicely. United briefly threatened a resurgence, but Nani greedily took on a shot saved by Szceszny when he had men in the middle. Robin Van Persie could only find the side netting from a deep Walcott cross, and the referee Chris Foy evened up the bad calls when Gael Clichy’s studs on Michael Owen’s calf sent him sprawling inside the box, only to find no penalty awarded.

Mancitti practically sealed their Champions’ League berth with a curious victory over the unhappy Hammers at the City of Manchester Stadium. Curious in that they began like a house on fire, with wave after wave of attacks threatening to sink West Ham for good. Nigel De Jong opened what looked like the floodgates by crashing in from the edge of the box after a corner was half-cleared for his first City goal, and then a beautiful dink through from David Silva found the marauding Pablo Zabaleta, who drilled across Green and in via the boot of Jacobsen and the crossbar. Yet after looking like they’d run up a cricket score in the first fifteen minutes, City suddenly decided to take a nap. Robbie Keane nipped through their slumbering backline to be denied by Hart, but minutes later the Hammers reduced the arrears. Thomas Hitzlsperger’s cross was flicked on and up onto Joleon Lescott’s arm, but before the referee had to whistle, Demba Ba reacted in a flash to the loose ball; swivelling to turn it in. Suddenly, City woke up again. Mario Balotelli was fed on the left-hand side of the box, cut effortlessly back outside his man and curled an exquisite effort which thudded back off the bar. That man almost sealed it again on a lightning break from a save by Hart, when David Silva cantered through, rounded the goalkeeper and left it to Balotelli, whose shot couldn’t beat the three retreating defenders guarding their goal line. Edin Dzeko thumped in a shot that cannoned off the body of Green, but Balotelli was flagged offside as he pounced for the rebound. David Silva came close late on, when his effort deflected up and over off Spector, but in the end Mancitti took what they came for, and West Ham remain entrenched in the relegation zone up to their waists.

Liverpool moved above Tottenham with a resounding victory over a feeble Newcastle side at Anfield. Young full-back John Flanagan sent over a floated cross which was cleared poorly and drilled back into the net with a deflection off Simpson by Maxi Rodriguez for the opener. A dangerous Joey Barton free-kick in response flashed across the face of the Liverpool goal with nobody able to profit. The game was most bizarre for Newcastle’s all-white away strip. First of all, an away kit is surely meant to be a completely different colour from your home kit, and secondly how does red clash with black and white? These questions were not answered, though Barton should have answered his critics, when a delicious low cross from Kevin Nolan fell invitingly for him at the far post, but the humble midfielder could only skew his effort wide from close range. Some great work by Luis Suarez saw his shot deflected wide by Mike Williamson, and Rodriguez saw his mishit cross bounce off the top of the Toon bar. Williamson then made a fool of himself, as he attempted to shield a long Reina kick out of play, only to have his pocket picked by Luis Suarez, who rounded the dozy defender and made the most of the contact to go to ground in the box. Dirk Kuyt slotted in the penalty and Liverpool were coasting. Dirk Kuyt then sullied his afternoon by missing a sitter of a header from close range, but the performance was complete when the crafty Suarez exchanged passes with the Kuyt just inside the box, taking three Newcastle men out of the game before slotting past Tim Krul.

Blackburn grabbed a vital win against neighbours Bolton, at a ground which has been historically bad for the Trotters. Martin Olsson made the difference with a man-of-the-match display at left-back. He had almost set up Benjani for a goal, before dribbling into the box and forcing a goal-line clearance from Paul Robinson. Bolton almost struck a sucker punch, but Rodrigo Moreno, arriving late for a cross, went for a half-volley with his wrong foot, and could only stab onto the post from close-range. Olsson then made him rue the miss, when he took a pass from Salgado, raced past David Wheater and stabbed past Adam Bogdan in the Bolton goal. The left-back had more opportunities too, and had an effort with either foot in the same move, forcing Bogdan to save low at his post. Blackburn’s Plan B almost came to fruition too, when a Robinson clout saw the giant N’Zonzi outjump Bogdan, only to see his header drop the wrong side of the post for Rovers. Mame Biryam Diouf blazed wastefully over after a scramble, and Stephen N’Zonzi missed a glaring headed chance late on, in between Martin Petrov drilling into the side netting for Bolton. Blackburn need just another win to escape the relegation trap-door, while Bolton have slipped back in their challenge for sixth.

Wigan Athletic picked up a vital point against Everton, but may wish they had seen the win out come the end of the season. After a cagy opening, Wigan took the lead on 21 minutes, when Ben Watson dinked a lovely ball through for Charles N’Zogbia. The Frenchman appeared to miscontrol and lose his footing as Howard confronted him, but the winger picked himself up, turned quickly and rifled the ball past the Everton goalkeeper. Wigan’s other star man Ali Al-Habsi pulled off a splendid save from Leon Osman, but minutes later the Omanian goalkeeper was required further. N’Zogbia ruined his heroics by rushing in and attempting to beat Osman to the ball, while the Everton midfielder turned and shielded the ball in time to be taken down and accept a penalty. Former Wigan star Leighton Baines surrendered the duty to Mikel Arteta, but the Spaniard saw Al-Habsi plunge to his left and thrust up a strong hand to parry the ball away for a magnificent save. After this it was Tim Howard called upon, first to deny N’Zogbia one-on-one, then a cracking near post save to deny Victor Moses, after Jagielka had cut out the initial cross from Emerson Boyce. Moses then saw another belter kept out by the in-form Howard, while Al-Habsi denied Jagielka. Unfortunately for Wigan, the resulting corner saw Hugo Rodallega leap like a salmon, before losing his bearings and seeing the ball strike his arm. He was clearly infuriated with himself as the penalty was awarded, and well he might have been, as regular penalty taker Baines stepped up to crash it past Al-Habsi. Seamus Coleman had a deflected effort saved by the Wigan goalkeeper as they attempted to snatch a win, but Wigan’s counterthrust saw a Watson rocket well saved, and a goalmouth scramble that could only see Rodallega blast a presentable chance over. All over for Wigan? Not yet.

Wolves may feel this was a useful point, as they kept Birmingham on the cusp of the relegation dogfight, while at least increasing their own points tally, though after taking the lead they may have wished for more. The opener came when a lovely through ball from Jarvis saw Stephen Ward race through and take a tumble as Foster bought it hook, line and sinker. Stephen Fletcher notched the penalty, and Wolves were where they wanted to be. After this though, Birmingham decided to come out of their shells somewhat, and Sebastien Larsson cracked the crossbar with a superb free-kick., before a horrific mistake from Michael Mancienne gifted Brum parity just before the half-hour. A long pump forward saw the Wolves defender caught in two minds as to whether to duck under it or clear, and in the end he let it be cushioned down off his bonce, leading to that man Larsson galloping through to slide under Hennessey for 1-1. The eventful first half ended with Craig Gardner bizarrely sent off for a second caution, after diving outside the area. Replays showed, although very difficult to see on first watch, the referee had been on-the-ball, as the Brum midfielder ran between two Wolves players and threw himself to the ground with minimal contact. Fans may have been excited to see how the second half would pan out, but unfortunately nothing happened, as Brum deployed the old ‘parked bus’ method to preserve a point that leaves them one win away from salvation.

Fulham earned only their second away win of the season, against a Sunderland side with no strikers to speak of. Starting with the diminutive Steed Malbranque and Stephane Sessegnon up-front, the Mackems started strongly, with Elmohamedy heading a cross narrowly wide, and Malbranque charging down a Philippe Senderos clearance, only to dink wide one-on-one. After this, Fulham were ruthlessly clinical. Zamora found Gael Kakuta in the box, and after brilliantly getting a difficult ball out of his feet, the youngster poked past the goalkeeper for an excellent opener. Sunderland’s ripostes came in the form of a pitifully weak finish from Lee Cattermole and a Muntari shot deflected over. At the other end, forgotten man Eidur Gudjohnsen took down a cross and drilled across the box, narrowly missed by Bobby Zamora. A fine Fulham move saw Zamora brilliantly release Steve Sidwell on the left-hand side of the box, and his cross was converted adeptly by Simon Davies for 2-0. The third goal was a disaster for Sunderland, as Ferdinand ended up tackling his own goalkeeper as the ball eluded them and was nudged over the line by Davies as Elmohamedy barged into him. Sunderland trooped off the pitch to much home chagrin, but they will simply be hoping the season’s climax arrives as soon as possible to avoid more strikerless punishment.

West Brom continued their superb conclusion to the season under Roy Hodgson, with a well-earned win over Aston Villa. Despite an early comical own goal from Abdoulaye Meite, the Baggies retrieved the points with a poacher’s effort from star man Peter Odemwingie and a persistent run and finish from Youssuf Mulumbu, aided by some abject defending from Luke Young. The one blot was a second yellow card for Paul Scharner for a rugby-style foul on Stylian Petrov, but the home fans were too busy relishing their first victory over their neighbours for 26 years.

The biggest shock of the season possibly came at Bloomfield Road, where Blackpool failed to score for the first time in the Premier League, and even more surprisingly kept a clean sheet, as they endured a goalless draw against Stoke, who celebrated a rare away result. There were a few presentable chances, but clearly the defining moment in the game came when Kenwyne Jones found himself clean through, rounded the goalkeeper, but astonishingly fired hopelessly wide of a net left open by covering defender Ian Evatt’s untimely loss of footing. The Tangerines live to fight another day.