Cahill eager to get Chelsea title party started
WEST BROMWICH, United Kingdom: 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.
“If anything, we should be enjoying it. After the Tottenham result, naturally spirits were high in training and everybody was buzzing.
“Everyone went out and enjoyed themselves and there was a little bit of pressure off, although that can sometimes be bad when you relax and don’t do the right things.”
Cahill, 31, insisted that there was no complacency: “It’s going to be a tough game at West Brom, it always is.
“It’s never comfortable and we need to be aware of that, but we’re looking forward to getting the job done.”
Jose Mourinho was in charge two years ago and Cahill, whose form has improved markedly under Conte, says the experience of becoming champions then has helped.
“Itwasprobablymorecomfortable last time but the run-in is always the same, there is always a stage in the season when it’s going to be tight, when teams are putting pressure on and you’re having to win.
“That’s helped us this time, having the experience of that. We’re in a great position now and if we were to throw it away we’d be devastated.”
West Brom will take on the champions- elect with their spirits boosted by a 2-2 draw at Burnley which ended their four-match losing run and saw Salomon Rondon end his 19-game goal drought.
Attentions at The Hawthorns are already turning to next season, with coach Tony Pulis close to agreeing a deal to sign out- ofcontract defender Charlie Taylor from Leeds United.
Theyhavethreegamesremaining including a trip to Manchester City on Tuesday as they chase the five points they need to reach their target of 50 and comfortable midtable safety. English Premier League table ahead of the weekend’s matches ( played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Chelsea 35 27 3 5 75 29 84 Tottenham 35 23 8 4 71 23 77 Liverpool 36 20 10 6 71 42 70 Man City 35 20 9 6 70 37 69 -------------------------------------------------------Arsenal 35 20 6 9 68 42 66 Man Utd 35 17 14 4 51 27 65 Everton 36 16 10 10 60 41 58 ------------------------------------------------------West Brom 35 12 9 14 41 45 45 Leicester 35 12 7 16 45 54 43 Southampton 35 11 9 15 39 46 42 Bournemouth 36 11 9 16 52 65 42 West Ham 36 11 9 16 45 59 42 Stoke 36 10 11 15 39 52 41 Burnley 36 11 7 18 37 51 40 Watford 35 11 7 17 37 58 40 Crystal Palace 36 11 5 20 46 61 38 Swansea 36 10 5 21 41 69 35 ------------------------------------------------------Hull 36 9 7 20 36 69 34 Middlesbrough ( R) 36 5 13 18 26 48 28 Sunderland ( R) 35 6 6 23 28 60 24
( R) = Relegated Saturday, May 13
Everton vs Watford - 2.45am West Brom vs Chelsea - 3am
“We’ve got some tough games coming up,” said defender Craig Dawson. “But they’re the games everybody wants to play in, they’re exciting games.” — AFP