Barclays Premier League: Improbably, It's Chelsea's to Lose

Charlie Klein

Only two weeks ago on this blog I speculated that Chelsea were possibly on the brink of total destruction following their shocking performance at the Bridge against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan. My my what a difference two weeks makes.

Chelsea re-staked their claim to the trophy that has been held just out of their reach by Manchester United each of the past three seasons by firing seven goals past Brad Friedel and Aston Villa at the weekend. Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda were rampant against an Aston Villa team that looked a far cry from the team that defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier this season.

And then Chelsea witnessed the past two days of Champions League football. I scarce imagine that the performances of Manchester United yesterday and Arsenal today did much to dishearten John Terry & Co. in London.

Manchester United did not come to Munich with any sense of urgency or winning spirit. More importantly, they appear to have left Munich with an injured Wayne Rooney. While I personally do not feel like United are a one man team, Rooney is the most important player at Old Trafford by a long stretch.

He appears to be out for the next 2-4 weeks. This injury is huge for United as Rooney has been the lone striker in Sir Alex Ferguson's starting XI for most of the year. Dimitar Berbatov has scored 12 league goals this season, but there are doubts surrounding Manchester as to whether or not he can adequately fill in for the 34 goal man.

Arsenal, the other team involved in this title race, today lost their talismanic central midfielder Cesc Fabregas to a broken leg following their Champions League first leg with Barcelona. If Fabregas is to be believed, and if the scans bear him out, then Arsenal's title chances have suffered a major blow. Add injuries to William Gallas and Andrey Arshavin, and it looks as though Arsenal's slim shot at the title appears to be even slimmer.

While I am sure that Chelsea would much rather be in the Champions League than out of it, their absence from the competition could be the key that unlocks the door to the promised land. As much as it pains me to say it, the Premier League trophy just might have blue and white ribbons on it at the end of the season. As sickening as it is for me to imagine, the adulterer and all-around bad guy John Terry might lift the trophy over his undeserving head. If Chelsea do win it this year, it will all be down to the injuries suffered to both Manchester United and Arsenal in the past two days.