Blue is the colour

IF you are a gambling man then this is the time to put all your money on blue.

Blue on Thursday when Britain goes to the polls and Blue on Sunday when the Premier League title will finally be decided.

Manchester United’s narrow victory at Sunderland yesterday has ensured Chelsea must wait a little longer to be crowned champions but the painful truth for Red Devil supporters is there is more chance of Gordon Brown earning a General Election landslide than Carlo Ancelotti’s men throwing it away at the death.

The final matches of the season see Chelsea take on Wigan at Stamford Bridge while Manchester United host Stoke City, both at 4pm, and it’s clear the Londoners have the edge.

Wigan’s record shows they have won only three times away from home this season – the last time at Wolves in January –and scored only 18 goals in 18 matches on their travels. They may have surprised John Terry and his team-mates earlier in the season with a 3-1 victory at the DW Stadium but Wigan, whose open style will surely suit Chelsea, have only won once at Stamford Bridge in their history, and that was way back in 1980 in an FA Cup tie.

But in truth none of that really matters. What matters is that Chelsea have the momentum, Chelsea have the greater hunger, perhaps heightened by watching United crowned champions three years in succession; Chelsea have the form; and, crucially, Chelsea have the lead.

Their hugely impressive 2-0 victory at Anfield yesterday means Ancelotti’s side go into the final and deciding fixture of the season one point ahead of their rivals on 83 and with a goal difference that is nine goals superior.

United know it will take an extraordinary turn of events for them to make it four in a row and although they will it give their best, although they will almost inevitably beat Stoke, it really is impossible to visualise red ribbons on the Premier League trophy come 6pm on Sunday next.

As former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy surmised: “Mathematically the title is still open but realistically no. Chelsea have been in this position before, they know how to end the season. I don’t see anything other than a convincing win for Chelsea. If Chelsea don’t beat Wigan at home then they don’t deserve it. But I think they’ll seal it.”

It’s a view shared by bookmakers who already have Chelsea as odds-on favourites and it’s an opinion shared by Frank Lampard who emphasised his return to form at Anfield with his 31st goal of the season, sweeping home a cross from Nicolas Anelka in the 54th minute to add to Didier Drogba’s opener, which was gifted to him by a terrible back-pass from Steven Gerrard. It was the solidity, concentration and focus of Chelsea, however, that really impressed because they never looked in serious danger of throwing the game away, always seemed to have an extra gear in reserve and could easily have added to their tally against a tired and mentally drained Liverpool side.

Manager Ancelotti’s new 4-3-3 formation was again crucial – Chelsea have picked up seven wins in their last eight games using it – but there was also a real steely edge to his side that augurs well for next Sunday.

The same can also be said of Manchester United, of course. No club in the Premier League has as much experience of seeing out a season as Alex Ferguson’s team and they could have won far more convincingly at the Stadium of Light had DImitar Berbatov not missed a hat-trick of excellent chances to add to Nani’s opener.

But Chelsea’s players, and in particular Lampard, Malouda, Drogba and Ashley Cole, are all hitting top form at the right time; and if that quartet, who all possess immense mental strength, play to the best of their ability next weekend then you have to fear for Wigan, who have already conceded 47 goals away from home this season.

It would be wrong to completely write off United’s chances – football has, after all, thrown up too many bizarre and unpredictable finishes over the years for anyone to predict with absolute certainty the outcome of any Premier League game. But even the most ardent United fan knows their best opportunity of winning the title disappeared with Gerrard’s lazy back-pass at Anfield yesterday afternoon.

So you don’t need to be a betting man to predict the Red Flag won’t be flying high next weekend. Not at Whitehall and not at Old Trafford, either.