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EMILE DEALS A BIG TITLE BLOW
By Tony BanksChelsea 1 Wigan 1
Emile Heskey struck a dramatic injury-time equaliser to stun Chelsea as Wigan boss Steve Bruce did his old Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson a huge favour in the title race.
Michael Essien had given the Blues a second-half lead at Stamford Bridge that seemed as if it would keep the pressure right on the leaders, after Joe Cole came on at half-time to give his team a much-needed spark.
Chelsea manager Avram Grant has often been accused of picking the wrong team in this long and troubled season. He did it again last night as he left Cole on the bench, mindful obviously of Thursday’s crunch game at Everton.
Grant realised his mistake as his team laboured against Wigan. On went Cole, up stepped the tempo and Essien rifled in a 55th-minute goal.
But Heskey scored from close range in the second minute of added time to leave Chelsea five points behind United having played the same number of games.
Chelsea have complained long and hard about this schedule of two games in four days, but have had to like it and lump it.
Grant, though, is fortunate in that he has the depth of squad to cope – hence the seven changes from the side who ousted Fenerbahce from the Champions League last week.
There was no Frank Lampard, and no Didier Drogba – who could even be struggling for Thursday’s game at Everton having aggravated a knee problem.
But Petr Cech was back, complete with chin-guard as well as skull cap, just nine days after gashing open his chin in a training accident. Much more of this and Cech will have to take to the field in a full suit of armour.
But Chelsea knew that if they won both these games this week they would be level with Manchester United, setting up an epic title decider when Ferguson’s side came to Stamford Bridge a week on Saturday. The stakes were high.
Chelsea went into the game last night on the back of a run of 16 games unbeaten in the league. But Steve Bruce’s Wigan were not out of relegation danger – starting last night’s game just five points above the danger zone.
This has been the sort of game that the Chelsea machine of late just rumbles through. And it started with Nicolas Anelka glancing Salomon Kalou’s cross an inch wide.
But Wigan were stubborn and in no mood to go quietly, Paul Scharner seeing his goalbound shot only just blocked. Then Antonio Valencia let fly from the edge of the area, and Cech did superbly to turn the ball round the post.
Then it was Chris Kirkland’s turn to save his side, as the Wigan keeper quite brilliantly arched back to claw Anelka’s header out and over the bar when a goal looked certain.
It was clear that the Frenchman was Chelsea’s main goal threat – but Wigan’s massed ranks were not making it easy. It was also pretty clear that this was going to be another case of grinding a result out.
Before the break it was Josip Skoko’s turn to thwart the hosts, hacking the ball off the line when Scharner looked set to turn the ball into his own net. But the frustration was growing. There was scattered booing as Chelsea trooped off at half-time. Grant threw on Joe Cole in an attempt to provide more invention. Wave after wave of attacks then battered the defence Wigan, as Grant’s men desperately sought the win they needed.
The consequences of failure, for Grant in particular, were dire. He knew he had to win either the league or the Champions League to keep his job. But without Lampard or Drogba there was little spark – even though the impish Cole livened things up.
Surely Wigan had to crack as the pressure mounted. But as Mikel John Obi flicked on a corner, John Terry’s volley cannoned back off the bar. Then Kirkland produced one of the saves of the season as he somehow kept out Kalou’s point-blank range shot. It was in vain.
A minute later, the ball was fed in to Anelka, who held onto it and shielded superbly, and then set up Essien, who rifled the ball into the corner. The relief was almost tangible.
It was hard on Kirkland, who then stopped Cole’s piledriver and dived bravely at the feet of Essien.
Cech then saved brilliantly to deny substitute Antoine Sibierski – but there was one further sting in the tail from Heskey.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Belletti, Terry, Alex, Bridge; Essien, Mikel, Ballack; Kalou, Anelka, Malouda (J Cole 46). Goal: Essien 55.
Wigan (4-4-2): Kirkland; Melchiot, Boyce, Scharner, Kilbane; Valencia, Palacios, Skoko (Koumas 56), Taylor (King 79); Bent (Sibierski 64), Heskey. Booked: Koumas, Valencia. Goal: Heskey 90.
Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Heskey leaves Chelsea's hopes in tatters
David Hytner at Stamford BridgeTuesday April 15, 2008The Guardian
Fifteen years have elapsed since Alex Ferguson, then without the knighthood, and his Manchester United assistant Brian Kidd lost their minds in celebration on the Old Trafford pitch, after a craggy-faced central defender stunned Sheffield Wednesday with two late headers which proved decisive in the race for the championship.Steve Bruce is still fondly remembered by the red half of Manchester after his heroics propelled United to the first title under Ferguson and last night, after a pulsating 90 minutes, he was at it again to help his former manager towards his 10th.
Bruce's Wigan Athletic had played a full part in a nervy occasion for Chelsea but in the second minute of injury time they brought the home side to their knees. Wigan don't score too many away from home and before last night had only mustered two in the league since January 2. But Emile Heskey's volley from the substitute Jason Koumas' precise centre triggered scenes reminiscent of April 1993. Bruce charged on to the pitch, eyes wide with delirium, as his club's survival hopes received a shot in the arm.For Chelsea, though, this was a kick in another area. Avram Grant wandered lost on the touchline, struggling to come to terms with the setback. His team had led through Michael Essien but could not kill off a spirited Wigan. As boos swirled around the stadium, Grant sent on Andriy Shevchenko as a 93rd-minute substitute. The home crowd howled and, not for the first time, voiced their belief that he didn't know what he was doing.
Grant does know, though, that failure to win at Everton on Thursday night, in a match cruelly rescheduled for television, might spell the end of Chelsea's dogged title challenge with United scheduled to visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday week. United will now be dreaming of winning the title at the home of their rivals.
"We have to beat Everton; if we don't it could be very difficult," Grant said. The Israeli has never won the hearts of the home crowd, many of whom continue to pine for his predecessor, Jose Mourinho, and there was only loneliness for him here. When the team wins the players enjoy the plaudits but when they falter the finger of blame always seeks out Grant.
He was shorn of Didier Drogba because of the striker's knee injury and, half an hour before kick-off, he lost Frank Lampard, who had to rush from the ground after a member of his family fell seriously ill. Grant claimed that the tactical rejig at short notice had "affected" his players.
Grant, though, with an eye on the Everton game, had also rotated his personnel and he was later forced to defend himself. "We are at the end of the season, we have many games and we have to keep the players fresh," he said. "I do it all the time."
There was defiance from Grant. "We are still in it," he insisted. "We will keep on fighting. We needed United to have a bad result anyway and also lose to us at Stamford Bridge so it hasn't changed so much. The players still believe we can win the title."
After United's dramatic victory over Arsenal a little over 24 hours previously, however, the timing of this result felt like a fatal blow to Chelsea's hopes. Wigan, well drilled and bristling with endeavour, enjoyed a purple patch midway through the first half when Petr Cech, back in the team after his facial injury and wearing a protective chin strap to go with his head guard, saved from Antonio Valencia. Nicolas Anelka had most of his team's first-half opportunities - Chris Kirkland clawed one looping header acrobatically to safety - while Josip Skoko kicked one Chelsea chance off his own line.
But it was not until Grant introduced Joe Cole at half-time that Chelsea enjoyed some urgency. Wigan felt the pressure. From a Juliano Belletti corner, John Terry volleyed against the crossbar; shortly afterwards, Salomon Kalou was denied at point-blank range by a wonderful Kirkland block. The breakthrough was coming and it arrived when Cole's cross was held up by Anelka. His cushioned lay-off invited Essien to strike from just inside the area and the Ghanaian's aim was unerring.
Stamford Bridge exhaled but Wigan refused to lie down. The substitute Antoine Sibierski marauded through but could not direct his shot past Cech and, after Kirkland had denied Essien at the other end, Heskey produced his coup de grâce.
"As you can imagine, he [Ferguson] has been on the phone," smiled Bruce. "He phoned me twice before the game and twice before the Arsenal game. They have been his only calls all season. Four times! I've also had a few calls from friends in Manchester. In fact, I can feel my phone going now ..."
The voice on the other end was surely Glaswegian, and delighted.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mail:
Heskey hands the title to Fergie as Wigan grab last-ditch levellerChelsea 1 Wigan Athletic 1
Avram Grant started the week like a man preparing for duel. After Arsenal crumbled at Old Trafford, the unassuming Chelsea manager looked Sir Alex Ferguson in the eye and predicted Manchester United would crack.
He backed this up by confidently claiming his team would snatch the title by winning the final five games of their turbulent campaign. He said he had the strongest team, when everyone was fit.
Then he did the strangest thing. He made seven changes to keep some legs fresh for the trip to Everton on Thursday and the risk backfired spectacularly as Emile Heskey scored an equaliser two minutes into stoppage time to wipe out Michael Essien's opener.
It was Chelsea who had cracked.
Steve Bruce erupted from his seat, bouncing on to the pitch with his fists pumping in the air.
Memories flashed back 15 years when a stoppage- time goal by Bruce secured a comeback win for Manchester United against Sheffield Wednesday, three crucial points in their title bid.
Ferguson and his assistant, Brian Kidd, danced on to the pitch that day. Kidd sank to his knees in delight. This time it was Bruce the manager skipping over the touchline to celebrate a priceless point in Wigan's fight against relegation.
It did not require a great leap of imagination to picture a beaming Fergie at home in front of his television, raising a glass of red in honour of his former skipper.
"He has phoned me four times in the last four months," revealed Bruce afterwards. "Twice before we played Arsenal and twice before we played Chelsea."
Under Bruce, Wigan have now taken points from Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. United are five points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Barclays Premier League with four to play.
The realisation of this was sinking in for supporters as they left Stamford Bridge in stunned silence.
There had been jeers and anxiety in the first half as Grant's weakened team struggled to impose themselves on Wigan. The home team were booed into the break.
The Chelsea boss, who shifted uneasily from foot to foot in his technical area, admitted the first-half problems may have been caused by a dressing room shock before the game, when Frank Lampard withdrew from the team after learning his mother had been rushed to hospital. He was replaced by Juliano Belletti.
Wilson Palacios, handed the task of smothering Chelsea's passing, denied their holding midfielder, John Mikel Obi, the time and space to dictate the rhythm of the game.
Palacios covered every blade of grass in the first half.
Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland was also in brilliant form. He made an incredible save from Nicolas Anelka's looping header in the first half and kept the score down after the break when the introduction of Joe Cole had given the home team extra impetus.
Cole injected the urgency missing in the first half when Wigan had looked comfortable, even dangerous at times. Petr Cech, back in the team nine days after requiring 50 stitches in a facial wound and wearing a special chin strap fitted to his protective headgear, saved from Antonio Valencia.
But for 20 minutes at the start of the second half, the Blues threatened to overrun Bruce's team. John Terry rattled the bar from Belletti's corner, and Kirkland made a miraculous save to deny Salomon Kalou.
Frantic last-ditch challenges kept Chelsea at bay until Essien strode forward from midfield to collect a lay-off from Anelka and whip a right-foot shot beyond Kirkland. It was his fifth of the season and relief swept around Stamford Bridge.
The race was still on; there would be a duel after all. Or so it seemed. Grant's team, however, could not kill the game. Joe Cole and Anelka flashed chances wide and Bruce made brave changes in search of a point. Kirkland saved again, this time from Essien.
After wins for Bolton and Fulham last weekend, the Latics had been sucked back towards relegation zone. Bruce threw on Jason Koumas, Antoine Sibierski and Marlon King in search of a goal.
Sibierski had a chance, two minutes from time when King forced the ball to him in front of goal but Cech dropped to his left to protect his team's lead. For a matter of minutes, it seemed the wounded hero would keep the title dream alive.
Then Koumas collected a ball on the left as the game ticked into its 92nd minute. He delivered a world-class centre which swerved between the keeper and his central defenders.
Heskey pounced at the back post, thumping a side-foot volley into the net. Wigan moved six points clear of the drop zone.
It was too late for Chelsea to react. Two precious points were gone and they trooped from the pitch after their 80th consecutive Premier League home game without defeat feeling nothing but dejection.
Grant's own role in his team's downfall will once again be scrutinised. But first he must lift his team for a game at Goodison Park. Chelsea cannot lost more points. They cannot lose the plot.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech 6; Belletti 6, Alex 6, Terry 6, Bridge 6; Essien 8, Mikel 5 (Shevchenko 90), Ballack 6; Kalou 6, Anelka 6, Malouda 5 (J Cole 46, 7).WIGAN (4-4-2): Kirkland 7; Melchiot 6, Boyce 6, Scharner 6, Kilbane 6; Valencia 8, Skoko 7 (Koumas 56, 6), Palacios 6, Taylor 6 (King 79); Bent 6 (Sibierski 64, 6), Heskey 7.Booked: Koumas, Valencia.Man of the match: Michael Essien.Referee: Andre Marriner. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mirror:
YOU BLUE IT, AVRAM BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE TWO-HORSE RACE CHELSEA 1 WIGAN 1 THE ACTION FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE Heskey's so pesky as Grant's title dream is looking a nightmare By Martin Lipton
If You can't beat Wigan, you can't win the title Avram. And there is no answer to that.
Just as Joe Cole and Petr Cech looked to have got Chelsea out of title jail last night they suffered a nightmare kick in the teeth that leaves one Manchester United hand on the crown.
Grant'smoody Blues, hit by the late loss of Frank Lampard, seemed to have got away with it after Cole's introduction sparked a second half improvement.
Michael Essien's strike, following great work by Cole and Nicolas Anelka, seemed to be enough as Chelsea created enough chances to win the match.
But deep into stoppage time, and after Cech had justified Grant's gamble by making a brilliant low save from Antoine Sibierski, the Chelsea defence allowed Emile Heskey to slam home Jason Koumas' cross.
Steve Bruce celebrated the point that could keep Wigan up. But now even if Chelsea win all their games, including that clash with United, it will not be enough unless the Old Trafford side blow up. Fergie can crack open the champagne now.
Grant had been planning to rest his big names but was forced into a late extra switch, with a family illness seeing Frank Lampard replaced by Juliano Belletti and Essien moving into midfield. Even so, had Anelka taken what looked like a sitter inside the first five minutes, it would surely have been a stroll.
Salomon Kalou twisted past Kevin Kilbane and Anelka rose well six yards out only to glance his header wide of the exposed target.
The miss appeared to undermine the Blues who became distinctly edgy as Wigan, led by winger Antonio Palacios, had a real go.
John Terry threw himself in front of Paul Scharner's shot after an Emile Heskey lay-off and on 20 minutes Cech, helmet, chin strap and all, shovelled a dangerous Palacios shot round the post for a corner.
Long range strikes from Alex and Belletti were unconvincing and when Michael Ballack was beaten to a Belletti cross by Josip Skoko, the grumbles became full-throated moans.
Anelka thought he had scored as he looped a header from Florent Malouda's dinked cross over Chris Kirkland who somehow flipped the ball away.
And 10 minutes from the break they were denied again. Skoko, challenging Kalou for Belletti's corner, could only head towards his own goal but with Kirkland beaten, Ryan Taylor scooped off the line and over the bar. The boos rang out loud and clear at the interval.
The watching Hugh Grant has given performances less wooden but Cole's introduction, in place of Malouda, sparked a reaction.
His first touch led to a shot blocked and while a series of attacks down the right failed to find a target, the goal was coming. Terry smashed Cole's corner against the bar before Kirkland made a great save to thwart Kalou.
But the Wigan wall cracked on 55 minutes. Cole played in to Anelka, who tried to turn but decided to lay the ball into the path of Essien on the edge of the box for a right-footer that flew past Kirkland.
Chelsea looked to be cruising from there but Heskey's late strike changed everything.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech 7; Belletti 6, Alex 6, Terry 7, Bridge 7; Essien 7, Mikel 5, Ballack 6; Kalou 6, Anelka 6, Malouda 5 (J Cole, 46, 8)
Wigan (4-4-2): Kirkland 7; Melchiot 6, Scharner 7, Boyce 6, Kilbane 6; Valencia 6, Taylor 6 (King, 79, 6), Skoko 5 (Koumas, 55, 6), Palacios 6; Bent 5 (Sibierski, 64, 5), Heskey 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Telegraph:
Emile Heskey wrecks Chelsea's title challengeBy Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea (0) 1 Wigan Athletic (0) 1
Humiliation engulfed Avram Grant, cries of "you don't know you are doing" reverberating around the Bridge as Chelsea effectively surrendered the Premier League title race. It was Emile Heskey's injury-time equaliser that cancelled out Michael Essien's opener, and Grant cut a dejected figure as he sloped down the tunnel.
Having squandered Jose Mourinho's inheritance, the Carling Cup and FA Cup, Grant now faces mission impossible in the Premier League. Chelsea lie five points behind Manchester United with four games left. The way Chelsea are playing so unconvincingly under Grant, Sir Alex Ferguson's side could well seal the title here on April 26, the ultimate indignity for Grant.
Grant had made the bizarre decision to keep the effervescent Cole in reserve until the break. Stamford Bridge was close to ferment, calling constantly for Cole. When he arrived, he immediately brought skill and invention to Chelsea's attacks, helping create Essien's strike, and the Bridge was left wondering why he had not started.
The opening period had hardly lifted the spirits, Grant's men playing like strangers in the night. The Chelsea employee whose first-half work most impressed was the in-house television man, who somehow found enough highlights for the half-time package.
For 45 minutes, it was stultifying fare, with Chelsea fans singing endlessly for Joe Cole, who had been kept in reserve by Grant until the break in preparation for Thursday's trip to Everton. Within 30 seconds, Cole had sent Essien charging down the inside-right channel and also tried a shot at goal, which flew into a thicket of white shirts.
When Cole then geed up his team-mates, gesticulating animatedly, the fans responded. Here was someone willing to take the game to Wigan, to ensure United did not enjoy a procession. Here was some trickery Chelsea's attacking moves craved. His 54th-minute cross from the right set the scene for Chelsea's breakthrough, Nicolas Anelka nudging the ball back to Essien, whose 20-yard shot flew past the unsighted Chris Kirkland.
Cole's introduction proved the timeliest of tonics, a shot in the arm to the sluggish Blues, keeping the flickering flame of their title ardour alive. Until then a subdued mood permeated the Bridge, as if Chelsea felt their dream disappeared with United's fightback against Arsenal the day before.
Grant had been forced to juggle his midfield at the last minute when Frank Lampard left the ground, the club citing "family reasons" for the midfielder's sudden absence. At least Chelsea fans had the reassuring sight of the returning Petr Cech, not that they could see much of their battle-scarred goalkeeper. "He's got two masks, he's our No 1" declared the Bridge's excited master of ceremonies.
Cech quickly reminded everyone of his class with a low save from Antonio Valencia's drive. Full of confidence until Cole's arrival, Wigan impressed early on, all hard-working 4-4-2, all balls down the channels for Marcus Bent and Emile Heskey to chase. Heskey soon laid the ball back to Paul Scharner, whose shot was blocked by John Terry.
Chelsea enjoyed good first-half chances, particularly Nicolas Anelka, who was starting as Grant rested Didier Drogba. Anelka's first opportunity arrived from a terrific move down the right, Alex and Michael Ballack combining to send Salomon Kalou sprinting at Kevin Kilbane. A winger by tra de, Kilbane was caught out as Kalou cut inside.
His cross was well-judged, but Anelka made a mess of it, flicking it badly wide.
The Frenchman almost scored with his next chance, meeting Florent Malouda's dinked cross with a looping header that Kirkland did superbly to claw over.
Chelsea were inching closer. When Josip Skoko headed back under pressure, Ryan Taylor cleared off the line. Scharner, impressing throughout, did well to slide in and prevent Essien's driven pass from reaching Anelka.
A wave of restlessness briefly swept through Chelsea fans, particularly when Wayne Bridge was nutmegged by Mario Melchiot, formerly of this south-west London parish. When Chelsea players then over-cautiously shepherded the ball back to Cech, disapproving cries tumbled from the Matthew Harding Stand, briefly intensifying at the break.
Joe Cole settled Chelsea nerves. Terry went close. Kalou saw a close-range shot saved brilliantly by Kirkland, who stood no chance when Essien came calling, prompted by Cole.
Steve Bruce shuffled his pack, introducing Jason Koumas and Antoine Sibierski, changing to 4-5-1 and relying on Heskey to take on Terry and company. The initiative remained with Chelsea, whose creativity flowed almost exclusively from the busy feet of Cole.
Scharner continued to thwart Chelsea, leaping high to intercept a Cole free-kick as it dropped towards Alex.
Chelsea's reliance on Cole was confirmed when Ballack was presented with a promising free-kick opportunity, but the German lifted the ball into the crowd. Cole almost showed Ballack the way shortly afterwards, again eluding Kilbane. Cole scampered into the box, but his right-footed shot flew narrowly wide.
Bruce acted again, withdrawing the midfielder Ryan Taylor and sending on another striker, Marlon King. Sir Alex Ferguson would have been proud of Bruce, his old defensive warhorse.
The changes almost worked late on when King flicked the ball on to Sibierski, whose low shot was saved by Cech. On a night when both keepers excelled, Kirkland then made a stunning stop from Essien.
But then came Heskey, sliding in at the far-post to meet Koumas expert cross. Bruce danced on the pitch. Doubtless Ferguson permitted himself a little jig in front of his TV. The race is all but run.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Times:
Chelsea have to take it on the chin as Emile Heskey proves costlyChelsea 1 Wigan 1
When the mob turn they tend to do so in an instant, as Avram Grant discovered to his cost last night. The boos that greeted the end of a goalless first half acquired a hard and angry edge when Emile Heskey scored a dramatic equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time, dealing a huge blow to Chelsea’s championship chances and gifting Manchester United control of the Barclays Premier League title race.
Steve Bruce’s celebrations at the goal that could secure Wigan Athletic’s Premier League future were thoroughly merited, but the biggest winner of the evening was his former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, whose United side hold a five-point lead with only four matches remaining.
Chelsea got what they deserved after a dreadful first half and a lack of ruthlessness in the second after Michael Essien had given them the lead in the 55th minute. The unpalatable prospect of United retaining their title at Stamford Bridge on Saturday week is a suitably brutal punishment. Grant’s fate could be far worse, although given the extraordinary storylines and sub-plots that repeatedly consume this remarkable club the notion of him saving himself by winning the Champions League cannot be discounted.
The home jury appears to have already returned its verdict, however, and seems to be in agreement about his fate, with those closest to the dugout abusing the first-team coach with shouts of: “You don’t know whatI forced changes from the side who beat Fenerbahçe last week backfired - with Bruce, the Wigan manager, pointing out that the absence of Joe Cole in the first half gave the visiting team a huge help - but circumstances also conspired against him, particularly in the withdrawals of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.
Chelsea were grateful for the remarkable return of Petr Cech, likened to Zorro by the club’s eccentric stadium announcer, but performing heroics more reminiscent of The Man in the Iron Mask in making a late save from Antoine Sibierski before Heskey’s equaliser. Suspicions that Grant was skating on thin ice had been confirmed during an inauspicious opening, which was subdued even by the standards of many matches at Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea fans were so bored during an opening 45 minutes that ended with boos being directed at their own players that they resorted to singing tiresome songs about Liverpool slums, suggesting that they too had their minds on other matches to come.
Chelsea’s only real chances of the first half fell to Nicolas Anelka, who for all his class has yet to make a significant contribution for his new club since his £15 million move from Bolton Wanderers in January. Anelka scored 11 goals in a poor Bolton side before Christmas, but has managed just two for Chelsea - not least because he is used mainly as an understudy to Drogba – and the lack of sharpness showed.
The France striker wasted a great opportunity in the fifth minute when he headed Salomon Kalou’s cross across the face of goal, but was unfortunate to be denied 22 minutes later when Chris Kirkland, the Wigan goalkeeper, made a brilliant diving save to his right from another close-range effort.
Anelka was not helped by an appalling lack of support from his wingers, with Florent Malouda so poor on his first league start for two months that he was substituted at half-time. The France winger has bags of ability as he demonstrated against England in Paris last month, but question marks remain about his attitude.
It was not as if Chelsea had any reason to be complacent as Wigan also enjoyed a period of sustained pressure that, with more fortune, could have yielded a goal. Paul Scharner had a shot blocked by Alex, but the best chance fell to Antonio Valencia, who brought a smart save from Cech low down at his near post. Not for the first time, Chelsea were indebted to his bravery.
The introduction of the effervescent Joe Cole in place of Malouda at half-time succeeded in raising Chelsea’s tempo, as if they remembered that they were still in contention. The England player is irrepressible even when out of form and made an immediate impact, lifting the crowd’s spirits with a shot across goal in the 46th minute. Cole’s teammates responded to his seemingly endless energy, with John Terry hitting the bar with a left-foot volley and Kalou denied by another great save from Kirkland before the damn broke. Cole, inevitably, was the creator, crossing from the right to Anelka, who held the ball up long enough to create the space for Essien to score with a neat drive from the edge of the area.
Essien had a chance to win the game, but failed to beat Kirkland and Heskey made him pay a heavy price. As always with Chelsea they cannot be written off, but two matches in the space of six days in Liverpool is not a mission they will undertake with high hopes given their recent history of misery on Merseyside.
Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech – J Belletti, Alex, J Terry, W Bridge - M Essien, J O Mikel (sub: A Shevchenko, 90min), M Ballack – S Kalou, N Anelka, F Malouda (sub: J Cole, 45). Substitutes not used: Hilário, C Pizarro, S Wright-Phillips.
Wigan Athletic (4-4-2): C Kirkland – M Melchiot, E Boyce, P Scharner, K Kilbane – L A Valencia, J Skoko (sub: J Koumas, 56), W Palacios, R Taylor (sub: M King, 79) – E Heskey, M Bent (sub: A Sibierski, 64). Substitutes not used: M Pollitt, M Brown. Booked: Koumas, Valencia.
Referee: A Marriner. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sun:
Chelsea 1 Wigan 1
By MARK IRWIN
Published: 14 Apr 2008 TIME to go Avram. The title race is over and now it is just a matter of time before Chelsea begin the search for yet another new boss.
Emile Heskey’s equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time has effectively handed the Premier League title to Manchester United.
And Avram Grant is now on borrowed time after being booed off by fans still yearning for the Special One.
Like the Peter Sellers character in the film Being There, Grant continues to give the impression of a man who has somehow ended up in a job way beyond his capabilities.
And last night he was finally found out as his desperate attempts at team rotation turned into a 90-minute resignation letter.
As Heskey’s shot hit the back of Petr Cech’s net, Grant stood on the sideline scratching his head in bewilderment.
“You don’t know what you’re doing,” chanted the Stamford Bridge crowd. And at that precise moment, it was hard to argue with them.
Seven of the team who had beaten Fenerbahce in the Champions League in their previous game were given the night off, with only Frank Lampard’s absence enforced by a family illness.The others were all sitting behind the dug-out, rested for what was supposed to be the more difficult trip to Everton on Thursday.
But this disaster means the Blues are now FIVE points behind United with four games to go.
So even three points at Goodison will not be enough to save Chelsea’s title chances and Alex Ferguson’s troops can virtually wrap it up at the Bridge on Saturday week.
No wonder Fergie had been phoning Steve Bruce with some big-match advice ahead of this game.
As it turned out, it was Grant who could have done with a helping hand as the Wigan boss got his tactics spot on while Chelsea were left floundering by their manager’s tinkering.
The Israeli denied he under- estimated a team fighting for their Premier League survival.
But it was only with the introduction of Joe Cole as a half-time sub that Chelsea briefly sparked into life.
They should have been ahead on five minutes but Nicolas Anelka headed a glorious opportunity wide after Salomon Kalou had skinned Kevin Kilbane out wide.
Then goalkeeper Chris Kirkland thwarted Anelka with a magnificent 26th-minute save when he arched himself backwards to claw a looping header over the bar.
Another opportunity came and went 10 minutes before the break when Paul Scharner headed Juliano Belletti’s corner towards his own goal but Ryan Taylor cleared off the line.
When the half-time whistle blew with the game still goalless, Stamford Bridge reverberated to the sound of boos.
It was hard to believe that this was a team going for a Premier League and Champions League double.
For while United had been roared on to a crucial victory by an emotional crowd just 24 hours earlier, the atmosphere inside the Bridge was flatter than Sienna Miller.
And once again it was Grant who was getting it in the neck as the search for a scapegoat intensified. At least he had the common sense to listen to his critics and send on Joe Cole for the second half.
Within seconds of his introduction, the England winger had a shot charged down by Kilbane as Wigan dropped ever deeper.
John Terry smashed a shot against the bar and Kalou was denied by another magnificent Kirkland save.
But the tide had turned and Wigan’s fortress was finally breached in the 55th minute.
Inevitably it was Joe Cole who started the move with a low cross in to the feet of Anelka, who laid the ball off to Essien.
And this time even Kirkland was left powerless by the Ghanaian’s powerful shot. Finally some relief for the fans — but not for long.
Essien should have wrapped the game up in the 89th minute but his close-range shot from Anelka’s pass was thwarted by yet another extraordinary save by Kirkland.
It should not have mattered.
But seconds later it did. Jason Koumas’ deep cross from the left eluded Terry and Heskey forced his way ahead of Wayne Bridge to convert.
You could almost hear the sound of the champagne corks popping in Manchester.
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