Abby Brammell

By Ian Ladyman

Back in the hunt: Abou Diaby celebrates scoring the winner against Liverpool


After two-thirds of a season that was supposed to bring us the most competitive Barclays Premier League in years, the state of play is familiar, with only Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal in the hunt for the title.

But Chelsea captain John Terry is in Dubai this weekend fighting to save his marriage, United's Wayne Rooney threatens to score every time he pulls back his right foot and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is the only one who believes his team can win it.

Now with only 12 games to go, it is, as Sir Alex Ferguson famously said, 'squeaky bum time.'

Sportsmail answers 10 key questions that may yet determine the outcome of this year's race for the title.

1 - Can Wayne Rooney, the one-man team, keep going strong?
Yes, he can. Rooney's levels of consistency and fitness are remarkable. Since he joined United in 2004, he has averaged 31 league appearances a season and there is nothing to suggest that his influence will wane as the campaign reaches the business end.

Even during the days of Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney was United's most consistent player and everyone at Old Trafford knows that he thrives on playing regularly and that his momentum comes from this.

His performance against Aston Villa on Wednesday earned unstinting praise from their manager Martin O'Neill: 'He is one of the best players in the world and he is on top of his form.'


2 - Is Nani the new Cristiano Ronaldo, or the new Ralph Milne?

Sadly, Nani cannot be relied upon in the same way as Rooney. The young Portuguese winger is not in Ronaldo's class. He has some of his friend's ability but none of his aggressive temperament or mental toughness.

It is a shame that a misjudged tackle during Wednesday's draw at Villa Park will keep Nani out of action for three games because United were preparing to make the most of his good spell of form while it lasted.

Whether he returns to action in a fortnight still full of the superb, unpredictable wing play that he exhibited against Arsenal at the Emirates two weekends ago remains to be seen.

But United fans, whose side are also without Ryan Giggs for a month, also shouldn't hold their breath.

3 - Was John Terry's poor display against Louis Saha on Wednesday a one-off?
What should worry Chelsea fans about their captain is not his display against Everton - anyone can have a bad night - but more that he has requested compassionate leave to spend time with his wife this weekend.

Most people are granted time off only when they suffer a bereavement or an illness. If everybody was given a holiday when they had suffered a relationship hiccup, the country would grind to a halt.

Chelsea have an FA Cup tie and Terry should be playing. That he will be in Dubai rather than London sends out the wrong signals.


Achilles heel: Louis Saha scores yet another set-piece goal against Chelsea

4 - Chelsea have conceded 16 goals out of 22 from set plays. Do they have a problem?
Yes. Teams can get away with slightly erratic habits at set-pieces on the Continent and even in the Champions League. Foreign teams do not work hard on scoring from these areas.

In the Premier League, however, they do. At Manchester City, this problem stalked Mark Hughes for 18 months, while Rafael Benitez has also suffered at Liverpool.

One of Chelsea's weaknesses is that their goalkeeper Petr Cech is not commanding at set-pieces. Cech remains a superb shot-stopper but he is unsure under high balls and his anxiety has transmitted itself to his defenders.

5 - Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka . . . better together, or alone?

An obsession with tactics is the curse of modern football. There was a time when managers put together their best 11 players and sent them out to play. Do you think Bill Shankly ever considered playing Keegan or Toshack?

Carlo Ancelotti has two of the most feared centre forwards in the world and should play them together. Neither player responds well to time out of the team and if Chelsea are going to score the goals to keep a rejuvenated Manchester United at bay, then the Drogba/Anelka partnership is the way to do it.

6 - Carlo Ancelotti often finished second in Italy . . . is he destined to be a 'bridesmaid' again?

Chelsea should win the title. In fact they should have wrapped it up already. Arsenal and Liverpool have never really been in the race and United took until January to get going.

On paper Ancelotti has the better squad – although he is now without Ashley Cole for three months. However, there is a sense that Chelsea's best chance may have gone.

United take some stopping when they gain momentum but if Ancelotti doesn't win this one, then he will have to ask himself why not.

7 - Who have the hardest run-in - and why?
Chelsea have a more difficult finish to the season than United, simply because they have to go to Anfield and Old Trafford.

Ferguson's side are not quite as dominant at home this season as in previous years but you still wouldn't back Chelsea to go there and take three points. Liverpool can still be stubborn opponents at home, too.

Apart from a tough game at Manchester City, United don't have another away game that they really have to fear. Going to places like Everton - where they always win - Wolves, Blackburn and Sunderland just will not faze them at all.

Arsene Wenger believes that Arsenal have the easiest run-in but as Andrey Arshavin warned yesterday: 'If we want to be champions we have to win all our remaining games and it's difficult to say whether it's possible.'


One-man team? Manchester United's star striker Wayne Rooney

8 - Can Arsenal pass their way to the title without a centre forward?

No, they can't. They can beat anybody on their day and they can go on little spurts. But to win the Premier League you need to triumph in games in which you are second best from time to time and without a world-class centre forward that is going to be very difficult.

Robin van Persie's absence this season has been a huge blow for Arsenal. With him, they would perhaps have six more points. Wenger says that Drogba isn't as good as some people think . . . but he would still get in the Arsenal team.


9 - Will the Champions League play its part?
Yes, it will. Chelsea and Arsenal are desperate to win it, while United have already been there and know what it takes to win it and the league title.

The juggling act takes its toll every year and it points to United coming out on top. Their defeat by Leeds in the FA Cup may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

10 - Does anybody want to claim fourth place?
It certainly seems not. Despite what people say about a Premier League that is supposed to be more competitive, the scrap for the final Champions League place is looking a tad embarrassing.

Despite the improvements in teams such as Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham, Liverpool currently occupy fourth spot and have lost eight matches out of 26. The door to Europe is wide open this season but Liverpool certainly don't deserve to be there.

City recently lost at Hull, Tottenham have surrendered twice to Wolves while Villa played on the back foot against 19-man Manchester United. Do any of them want Champions League football? Does anybody deserve it? Not really.





source: dailymail