Chelsea a win away from glory
West Bromwich, May 11: Defender Gary Cahill admits there was a party atmosphere at Chelsea this week with the Premier League leaders 90 minutes away from clinching a second title in three years.
A “buzzing” Chelsea head to The Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion on Friday knowing victory will deliver the championship in coach Antonio Conte’s first season in charge.
The fiercely demanding Italian has revived the fortunes of a side who ended last season 10th and is expected to be rewarded with an improved contract and assurances about the club’s spending plans during the coming transfer window.
But the immediate priority is to deliver the Premier League trophy and Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat at West Ham United last week together with Chelsea’s defeat of Middlesbrough on Monday significantly eased the pressure during the run-in.
Should Conte’s side beat a West Brom team with little to play for they will become champions with two games to go.
“It’s one more to go, we have two home games and one away so we’re in a very good position now,” England centre-back Cahill told the club website.
SANCHEZ KEEPS ARSENAL IN TOP-4 HUNT
Alexis Sanchez scored his 20th goal of the Premier League campaign as Arsenal won 2-0 at Southampton on Wednesday to keep their hopes of a top-four finish alive.
Sanchez opened the scoring on the hour at St Mary’s before substitute Olivier Giroud made the game safe with a header seven minutes from time.
Victory took Arsene Wenger’s side above Man United into fifth place in the table and left them three points below Manchester City.
They deserve to be where they are and have been most consistent team. We will give it our best tomorrow. We are looking forward to a game of football which has three points riding on it, nothing else.