Weekend in Review

United One Step Closer, Arsenal Done

With a knack for scoring crucial goals late in matches, it's no wonder that Manchester United are in the drivers seat for the trophy. They added to that reputation on Saturday, beating Everton 1-0 on an 83rd minute goal from Javier Hernandez.

Coming off a dull 0-0 draw with Newcastle at midweek, United knew that it was time to get back on track and take full points against the visiting Toffees. But David Moyes' side made it tough on the Red Devils, keeping them out of dangerous positions for much of the match.

As always, United pressed on, staying confident and composed. And their persistence paid off, as the chances began to come in the second half. Tim Howard saved Hernandez's header brilliantly to keep hopes alive for his side. But he was powerless to stop Hernandez's header from the door step with seven minutes to go, as a gorgeous arching cross from Antonio Valencia found Chicharito's head at the back post, and the Mexican nodded home.

While Chicharito's winner was the story, Valencia's teasing cross was the key pass for the winner, and his return to the lineup after suffering a nasty leg injury earlier in the season has paid huge dividends. Looking sharp from the moment he returned to the pitch, Valencia has provided the Yen to Nani's Yang, giving Man U a threat up the right wing to go along with Nani on the left. With Valencia back, the Red Devils have most of their first choice players in attack to choose from, so they will hope that they aren't biting their nails waiting for another late goal over the rest of the season.

While it was more of the same from Manchester United, it was also the same old story for Arsenal. Unfortunately for the Gunners, that "story" has been a miserable one, as they once again failed to capitalize on a myriad of opportunities and then dropped points late in Sunday's 2-1 loss at Bolton.

Arsenal's much-maligned back four hadn't been the the problem over the last few months, but it certainly was the main weakness over the last week, as they yeilded five goals over their last two matches, including two from corner kicks in Sunday's loss at Bolton. Center-half Johan Djourou was dreadful. He lost a ball to Johan Elmander late in the match that could have cost Arsenal but was bailed out by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. The Swiss didn't have the same luck in the 89th, when Tamir Cohen scored the winner from a corner, beating him to the ball and heading in the winner.

When looking at Arsenal's performance over recent weeks, it seemed only a matter of time until they fell out of the title picture. That assumption was a correct one, as the Gunners crashed out of the race with two more disappointing results against Tottenham (3-3) and Bolton last week.

In many ways, the title was there's for the taking this season. But the Gunners have lacked the consistency, luck, and mental fortitude to get the job done.

Chelsea Move to Second

Chelsea looked a beleaguered and disinterested bunch after falling to Manchester United in the Champions League days earlier, and you could't really blame them. But ten days later, the Blues can happily say that they are still thinking about winning a trophy after a fine win over strugglers West Ham on Saturday.

There were positives aplenty in Saturday's win. Carlo Ancellotti's boys looked like the Chelsea that were odds-on favorites to win the EPL in October, getting several goals of great quality from a trio stars who have only recently rediscovered their form. Tops on the list was a beautifully executed goal that brought out the best in Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard (something we've not seen nearly enough of this season).

Then, Fernando Torres finally got the monkey off of his back with his first goal for Chelsea, and then came a cracking strike from the back in-form Florent Malouda to put the icing on the cake.

The Blues surpassed Arsenal for second with the win, and now sit just six points adrift of Manchester United. It's not an unattainable gap either. Chelsea would surely have to win the rest of their matches, but they do face United next weekend, whilst United face a trip to The Emirates this upcoming Sunday. Someone will have to spur an upset for The Blues, but a late push for the title is within reach.

Well Done West Brom

I have to admit that West Brom's firing of Roberto Di Matteo caught me by surprise, as the Italian had done a decent enough job with the Baggies before being shown the door in February. After all, W.B.A. were out of the drop zone, had gotten some decent results (a draw with Man U and win over Arsenal amongst them), and were also playing relatively good football for a team expected to battle the drop. But a poor run of form saw the Baggies' owners scrambling to avoid the club's fourth relegation from the Premiership in the last eight years. And that spelled the end of the Di Matteo era at West Brom.

With Di Matteo out, the legendary Roy Hodgson was hired. And although Englishman's time at Anfield this season was a total disaster, his credentials as a manager say that he's one of the best around. The 63-year old's managerial skills are also best suited for a mid-table club, as he has never been the most adventurous manager when it comes to attacking, a concept that suits a club like W.B.A. far better than a Liverpool.

The Baggies have shown the commitment and attention to detail required from their manager, and they've also let their quality show in a fine run of form that should keep them in the top flight, and just might see them finish in the top half the table.

The Baggies have lost just one match under Hodgson (albeit at the expense of five draws), and have played some sparkling football in the process, including a well earned point at White Hart Lane on the weekend.

Whether West Brom can stay up next season is another story, as staying in the EPL for a second season is something so many other clubs have been unable to do. But the Baggies can take solace in the fact that they have a solid squad to draw from, including striker Peter Odemwingie (13 goals on the year), who has been one of the best buys in all of Europe this season. They also did well to pluck Jerome Thomas from Portsmouth, as the skillful winger has given them a sense of creativity and unpredictability in attack.

There's a nice midfield to draw from, too. Chris Brunt has made the jump to the EPL quite well, while the acquisition of Paul Scharner (previously with Wigan) has also paid dividends.

With the addition of players like Odemwingie, and the hiring of a top class manager in Hodgson, the Baggies surely have some hope to not just stay up this season, but become a fixture in the top flight. If they can make a few more clever moves a la Scharner and Thomas, they just might be looking at a long stay in the Premiership for the first time in the club's history.

Weekend in Review

NOTE: For report/analysis on Saturday's FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Manchester City, please see previous post

Real Madrid 1-1 Barcelona

HIGHLIGHTS

53'- Messi
82'- Ronaldo

With four Superclasico's in 18 days upcoming, football fans across the world are salivating. Real Madrid and Barcelona didn't disappoint in the first edition, battling to a 1-1 draw in La Liga that featured the usual great play from both sides, and more than a shred of controversy.

In the end, it was two points lost for Los Galacticos, whose most likely trophy pushes now rest in the Copa del Rey (final against Barca on Wednesday), and Champions League (semifinal against Barca begins next week), as they now trail the Catalan Giants by eight points with six matches to play.

The wound from November's 5-0 dismantling against Barca was fresh in the minds of Jose Mourinho's side, who turned in a performance far better than those disastrous 90 minutes at the Camp Nou.

The home side came out with a humble set up, realizing that even for a side of their quality, a defensive outlook was required to get the results against the best attacking team in the world.

The first half took on the outlook of one of Spain's matchups from the World Cup, as Barca patiently knocked the ball around and waited for the chances to arise. But in the end, Pep Guardiola and company knew that the openings would come, not only because of their quality but also since Real needed full points to retain any hope of winning La Liga.

There were still plenty of chances. Cristiano Ronaldo should have done better midway through the half when he received the ball with space inside the area, but his first touch was surprinsingly heavy, and Gerard Pique ended up blocking his attempt.

Referee Cesar Muniz Fernandez was the center of attention in the 26th minute, when he booked David Villa for a dive after the striker went down in the box from a collision with Iker Casillas. The call was not his best, as there was clear contact between the two, meaning at the very least Villa was not guilty of simulation.

Barca began to look lively as the half continued. They nearly created the opener in the 42nd when some vintage combination play between Lionel Messi, Iniesta, and David Villa, saw Messi into space in the box, but Casillas did well to push away his strike from an acute angle.

Real capped off the wild close to the half in the final seconds when Sergio Ramos rose gracefully and flicked to the far post for Ronaldo, who saw his powerful header cleared off the line in magnificent fashion by Adriano.

Only minutes into the second half, the match was turned on it's head.

Ronaldo came inches from netting the opener in the 48th, winning a free kick from 23-yards. His driven shot surprised Victor Valdes, but the Portuguese was left to curse his luck when it clanked off the post.

Just seconds later, Barca had the lead. A long ball into the box from Adriano asked questions of Xabi Alonso, who took a bad angle and allowed David Villa to get position, before recklessly fouling him for a penalty and unavoidable red card. Messi was cool from the spot, and Barcelona were up 1-0 just moments after their opponents had come so close to doing the same.

Real were down a man, and on the back foot as Barcelona went for the jugular.

In the 62nd, Xavi Hernandez was unlucky to hit the post after successfully chipping Casillas from just outside the area.

Madrid fought on, and Pepe should have equalized in the 65th. Sergio Ramos once again brilliantly won with his head from a corner and flicked to the far post for the center-half, but he couldn't get a solid boot on his volley attempt, and then headed a second bite of the cherry into the side-netting.

Barcelona had nearly all of the possession, and Real were beginning to look resigned to their fate. But to their credit, they defended well and kept the result within reach.

In the 81st, Madrid were rewarded for their defensive efforts with a goal of their own. Substitute Mezut Ozil did well to play Marcelo in down the left side of the box, and Dani Alves made contact with him as he lunged for the ball, resulting in Fernández pointing to the spot. The Barca players were incensed at the call, accosting the referee in numbers, and Marcelo had indeed go down easily, although Real would argue there was clearly contact on the play. Ronaldo was reliable from the spot to equalize.

Villa then spured two chances for Barca, both times receiving an aerial pass behind the defense before losing the one-on-one matchup with Casillas.

Sami Khedira came close after Emmanuel Adebayor countered up the left touch line, but Casillas held his low and powerful effort.

Unfortunate Arsenal

If Manchester United win the Premier League this season (all signs points to yes) after Arsenal's incredible 1-1 draw with Liverpool, the Gunners will only have themselves to blame. They've lost home matches to West Brom and Newcastle, drew 0-0 with lowly Blackburn at The Emirates two weeks ago, and also saw a 2-0 home lead on Tottenham turn into a 3-2 defeat. Once again, the consistency has not been there.

But those inexcusable results don't tell the whole story. The Gunners have controversially dropped points in five different matches this season thanks to poor officiating. That was the case in yesterday's draw with 'Pool, who gained an extremely soft penalty on the last kick of the ball to equalize.

In all honesty, a draw would have been a fair result, as both sides created a similar amount of chances in the final 45 minutes after Arsenal had dominated the opening half. But to make a call like that (START VIDEO at 11:00) must be tough to swallow for Arsene Wenger and company.

The decision may well have finished off the Gunners' title challenge, as they now sit six points off the pace with just six matches to go.

Granted, Eboue has no business making any contact with Lucas on the play, as the Brazilian was surely going to topple over after feeling any type of contact, but that type of call is a classic example of an official trying to even things out, as Liverpool players were very unhappy with the previous penalty given to Arsenal (correctly given) earlier in stoppage time.

Unfortunately, the Liverpool scenario is not an isolated incident, as the Gunners have been victimized by a plethora of poor refereeing decisions this season.

I try not to let my Arsenal bias sway my thoughts in this blog or in my analysis of the game, and I know that the claims I'm making here will cause many to think that my status as a Gooner is clouding my view. You can call it more Arsenal "whining" if you like, but PLEASE watch these videos, evaluate the situations and scenarios in which the bad calls occurred, and then try to tell me that officiating didn't have a significant effect on the title race this season. I don't want to hear any arguments if you haven't at least observed the evidence first.

Example #1: Arsenal travelled to the Stadium of Light early in the year looking to show their newfound confidence via a tough road win. They scored a lucky opener when Cesc Fabregas blocked a clearance and the ball sailed over the keeper's head and into the net.

Arsenal did well to dominate the second half, but as they often do, failed to ice the game to leave the result in doubt.

It appeared the Gunners were headed for a fantastic result when the fourth official signaled for four minutes of injury time. But in the final seconds of extra time, Steve Bruce's side won a corner kick, which surely represented the last kick of the ball. The Gunners did well to clear the attempt, but referee Phil Dowd didn't blow the final whistle, allowing another attempt into the box that Darren Bent slotted home.

Decide for yourself

Example #2: Fresh off the heels of a fine 3-0 win over Chelsea, Arsenal were looking to jump start their race for the title over the Christmas period.

They were the favorites when they visited the DW Stadium to face bottom feeders Wigan. But the home side were all over them in the opening moments, and scored their first goal from the spot. Arsenal fought back, getting goals from Andrei Arshavin and Nicklas Bendtner before halftime to take the lead.

The Gunners cruised through the second half, and looked ready for the three points after Charles N'Zogbia was sent off. But in classic Gunner fashion, they yielded a goal from a set piece, as Sebastien Squllaci headed into his own net under pressure.

However, Arsenal should have won a penalty late in the match, when a free kick from Fabregas struck the arm of a flailing Wigan player. Referee Lee Probert was well positioned, but somehow missed the call.

Check it out (START VIDEO AT 13:25).

Example #3: There are differing opinions on Arsenal's 4-4 draw with Newcastle. After all, the Gunners did blow a 4-0 lead for the first time in Premiership history. But a crucial penalty call changed everything.

The visitors looked ready for a fine win after scoring four first half goals in a fantastic half of football.

The second half was a different story. Spurred on by the sending off of Abou Diaby, who callously shoved over Joey Barton after being angered by a tackle from the midfielder, Newcastle got back into the match on goals from Barton (from the spot) and Leon Best.

Referee Phil Dowd's moment of madness came in the 82nd. He handed the home side a silly penalty (START VIDEO WITH 2:13 LEFT) with less than ten minutes left, somehow seeing a foul when Nolan took a tumble going for an aerial ball in the box. Barton converted, making the score 4-3, and the come back was on.

Cheik Tiote equalized in the 89th with a fantastic volley from outside the area, and it was two points dropped for Arsenal.

But the atrociously poor call Dowd (not exactly in the good graces of Arsenal fans this year) saw Newcastle gain a penalty kick that spurred them on to the improbable draw.

Example #4: Despite fielding a sub-par lineup thanks to injuries, the Gunners had to feel confident when Sunderland visited North London last month. Steve Bruce's side hadn't been the same since losing Darren Bent in January, and were never the strongest road side to begin with.

However, Arsenal looked off the pace in the first half and chances were few and far between while Sunderland created legitimate offense of their own.

Arsenal fought back in the second 45, running rampant on the Black Cats defense. In the end, they should have had a penalty and another goal from the run of play. But Anthony Taylor somehow missed a blatant push from behind in the box courtesy of Titus Bramble, who shoved Andrei Arshavin just before he could shoot on the break (START VIDEO WITH 2:13 LEFT).

Arshavin was involved again minutes later, taking a through ball from Nasri and dribbling around Simon Mignolet before tapping home. Unfortunately, the flag was up, and replays would show that the linesman had completely blown the call (START VIDEO WITH 4:06 LEFT).


Three Titles Won?

Barcelona wanted to pound Real into oblivion as they did earlier in the season, but despite only managing a draw, they are likely headed to a La Liga title, as they now sit eight points atop the table. Having only dropped 11 points this season, it's hard to imagine Barca dropping at least eight in their final six matches.

But Spain wasn't the only league that may have been won on the weekend.

In Germany, Borussia Dortmund are sitting pretty after beating Freiburg 3-0, while chasers Bayer Leverkusen are now eight points adrfit with four matches remaining after Bayern Munich embarrassed them, 5-1.

The top two sides in Die Bundesliga won't meet again this season, meaning it will take quite the collapse from Jurgen Klopp's side merely for things to get interesting down the stretch.

Serie A was a similar story, with leaders AC Milan winning 3-0 over Sampdoria. In the meantime, Napoli couldn't get by Udinese, falling six points off the pace, and Inter Milan are now eight points adrift after being shocked 2-0 at Parma.

FA Cup Semifinal: Manchester United vs. Manchester City

Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United

53'- Toure
HIGHLIGHTS

The Blue and Red sides of Manchester clashed at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, and the stakes are rarely higher, as a birth in the FA Cup Final was on the line.

For City, it was a last chance at silverware for a side yet to bear the fruits of owner Sheikh Mansour's heavy expenditures over the last three seasons. Add in the fact that the Blues hadn't won a major trophy of any sort since 1976, and this match was absolutely vital.

United entered the match retaining hopes of winning the treble. Success in the Champions League Quarterfinals against Chelsea at mid-week raised confidence, but it also heightened the squad's overall fatigue and fitness. The busy fixture list saw Sir Alex Ferguson swap out Javier Hernandez for Dimitar Berbatov, while Antonio Valencia entered the first 11 for Ryan Giggs. But the biggest loss was that of in-form striker Wayne Rooney, who served the first of his two-match ban stemming from his expletive laced tirade whilst celebrating a goal last week.

Roberto Mancini picked his best 11 for the match. But Carlos Tevez's injury would ask questions of his attack, which saw him start the enigmatic Mario Balotelli and skilled Adam Johnson up front.

United started on the front foot, and should have been one up 13 mintes in after Berbatov missed two chances in less than 30 seconds. First, Joe Hart saved his shot from close, and then the Bulgarian missed an absolute sitter, somehow touching the ball over from 2-yards out after reaching Nani's low cross.

City were resolute in their approach. They defended well, and started to get back into the match in the final 15 minutes of the half. Balotelli had a dipping long effort turned over the bar by Edwin van der Sar. Then, Joleon Lescott found himself all alone at the far post from a corner, but his full volley was rushed when he might have thought about bringing the ball down.

City's other center-half went close in the 44th, when Vincent Kompany's beautiful one-touch blast missed inches wide of the right post.

City may have been upset not to have gotten the opener whilst dominating the latter period of the first 45. But they came out with more of the same in the second, playing one of their best halves of football this season.

An early goal surely made things easier on Mancini's side. Yaya Toure read a pass from Michael Carrick in the United half, and then showed off his pace to evade Nemanja Vidic before slotting home past van der Sar.

In the 62nd, Johnson did well to tip toe along the by-line, beating Evra before van der Sar saved uncomfortably.

Lescott had another great chance one minute later, winning a header from close range off a cross from David Silva, but his glancing effort was well wide.

City's dominance ended with 25 minutes or so to play, as United substituted Hernandez for Valencia and started to throw everything forward. But their defense continued to impress, keeping the Red Devils at bay for the most part.

Nani had United's greatest chance in the 65th minute, but Hart did well to push his slightly deflected free kick onto the bar.

The Red Devils faced an even greater uphill battle when Paul Scholes was sent off for a poor challenge on Pablo Zabaleta in the 72nd. The Englishman couldn't have too many complaints, as he went studs up into the challenge and struck the right back on the upper thigh after the ball had already gone.

With tired legs and ten men, United couldn't muster a clear-cut opportunity for the rest of the match, resulting in delight for City, who enjoyed one of their most famous wins in club history.

As often is the case in this derby match, things boiled over afterwards. Rio Ferdinand took exception to Balotelli's taunting of the United fans, as well as a sarcastic wink in his direction. Seconds later, he was in the young Italian's face and had to be restrained by several teammates before finally leaving the pitch.

Thoughts

This match featured a brilliant performance from Mancini's men, who played with great intensity throughout and frustrated United's attack. For once, they played inspired football, winning the vast majority of the 50-50 balls (it's no coincidence that the Toure goal came from such a play) and keeping United on their toes in the back with some solid possession football.

The effort from the victors was worthy of the result. Toure was brilliant, running circles around the United midfield, while also joining his midfield compatriots with a fine shift defensively in the center of midfield. Credit also must be given to defensive midfielders Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry, who were all over the place, typically winning the ball from Man U in their own half before the favorites could sustain any sort of attack.

To be fair, this match was far more important to Man City than to Ferguson's bunch. United are on the cusp of winning the league, and have a Champions League Semifinal with Schalke to worry about as well. Say what you will about the history and tradition of the FA Cup, but it was United's last priority with regards to winning silverware. Perhaps that showed in their play, as City ran themselves inside-out to get the result, while United turned in an average performance at best. Simply put, City needed to win this match more than United, and it showed on the pitch.

In many ways, it's been a disappointing season full of turmoil and drama at Eastlands. The title push that the club hoped for ended well over a month ago, and European dreams concluded with defeat in the Europa League to Dinamo Kiev. But more disturbing was the off-field drama, featuring a host of disgruntled players, and face-offs between manager and players (Mancini vs. Tevez, Mancini vs. Balotelli being the main battles). In my opinion, all of that mess spilled over onto the pitch, as the immensely talented (although not well meshed together) side looked a beleaguered bunch, failing to score goals and lacking the supreme defensive effort required from their manager. But on Saturday, they finally showed what they are capable of, turning in a passionate and classy performance against one of the world's best sides.

Overall, it's been a year to forget at Eastlands. But another win at Wembley in the FA Cup Final could change that outlook.

City face Stoke City in the final on May 14. The Potters spectacularly defeated Bolton 5-0 on Sunday.

Chelsea-Manchester United Match Report

Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea (Man U win 3-1 on aggregate)

HIGHLIGHTS

Manchester United emerged from their UEFA Champions League second leg on top in the match, and on aggregate, after a 2-1 victory over Chelsea. The Red Devils will meet Schalke in the semifinals after winning a relatively even match at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side had the edge in the tie, as they came home to Manchester already holding a 1-0 advantage. Looking for more of the same, Ferguson started a similar side to the first leg, with Wayne Rooney sitting behind Javier Hernandez on the forward line, Ryan Giggs, Nani, Ji-Sung Park, and Michael Carrick in midfield, and John O'Shea (in place of the injured Rafael), Chris Smalling, Nemanja Vidic, and Patrice Evra across the back.

Carlo Ancelotti's confidence in the struggling Fernando Torres didn't waver. And he started the Spaniard up top alongside Nicolas Anelka. But like Ferguson, his lineup didn't spark many surprises, with Frank Lampard, Florent Malouda, Ramires, and Michael Essien across the midfield, while John Terry and Alex (in for the cup tied David Luiz) manned the middle with Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic on either side.

After a quiet opening to the match, Chelsea began to assert themselves with a host of chances. With the Blues beginning to put the pressure on, the game opened up with opportunities aplenty.

In the 12th minute, Torres fielded a cross into the box and laid off for Anelka, whose vicious strike whizzed inches wide.

In minute 15, Florent Malouda made a weaving run into the box and dropped for Lampard, but his low strike lacked placement and Edwin van der Sar smothered.

A clumsy Fernando Torres failed to control in the area in the 21st, but he managed to touch back to Anelka whose swerving half-volley screamed just outside of the post.

United were on the back foot, but Sir Alex Ferguson's side are famous for scoring when being pushed back. And they thought they had accomplished just that when Rooney crossed to Hernandez for a well taken goal with his head, but the linesman called it back.

United were looking nervous in the 32nd, when a giveaway and subsequent long through ball saw Anelka behind the defense down the right side whilst van der Sar scurried off of his line. The Frenchman actually beat van der Sar to the ball outside of the box, but the veteran keeper did well to tackle the ball away and clear.

The first part of the second half featured vintage defending from United. The Red Devils dropped back and waited to counter with the skilled and creative Rooney and the speedy Hernandez looking for space on the front lines.

Didier Drogba entered the match at halftime. And he was Chelsea's best attacking player on the evening, accounting for most of Chelsea's offense in the second half. Just moments after coming on, the Ivorian created space with a nifty touch in the box, but his left footed strike scooped wide and van der Sar appeared to have it covered.

Already needing two goals to go through, Ramires' sendng off worsened matters for Chelsea in the 67th, as he stupidly kicked Nani from behind. Referee Olegario Bartolo Benquerenca didn't hesitate in showing the second yellow.

The Blues surprised after going down to ten men by rallying the troops and getting back into the match.

Another spark from Drogba netted the Blues' first goal of the tie. The prodigious striker did well to bring down a long ball from Essien on his chest, and then finished well to the far post.

United were only sweating for 45 seconds. Immediately after the kick off, substitute Antonio Valencia created space and found Ryan Giggs in the middle of the pitch, the Welshman played a picture perfect aerial pass to Park, who to took the ball on the bounce and lashed a beautiful volley to the far stick to ice the tie.

Other Results

Schalke 2-1 Inter (Schalke through 7-3 on aggregate)
Real Madrid 1-0 Tottenham (Real through 5-0 on aggregate)
Barcelona 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk 0 (Barca through 6-1 on aggregate)

Weekend in Review

NOTE: APOLOGIES FOR MY RECENT HIATUS. I HAD ACL SURGERY LAST WEEK AND WAS IN NO SHAPE TO WRITE. BUT I'M BACK NOW AND IT'S BACK TO BUSINESS AT 90 MINUTES STRONG.



United on a Roll

Manchester United 2-0 Fulham HIGHLIGHTS

Manchester United have had trouble with Fulham at Craven Cottage, but they've had no trouble whatsoever with the mid-table side at Old Trafford. That trend continued in a routine 2-0 win for United that saw them go ten points clear atop the table.

United staved off a few early attacks from the Cottagers, and then took control of the ball, and the game, dominating the opening half of play.

Dimitar Berbatov opened the scoring on a beautifully worked goal that saw Nani beat a pair of defenders before executing a quick give-and-go with Anderson, and then sliding to the Bulgarian with space inside the box.

Luis Valencia merely had to tap in with his head in the 32nd. Another great run from Nani helped him create space for himself down the left side, then evading a charging Schwarzer, before sneaking a cross over the head of Aaron Hughes and onto the Ecuadorian.

The performance from the leaders over the last two weeks has to have them feeling quite optimistic. They showed that they have the fight to win a trophy by coming back from 2-0 down at Upton Park last week, and on Saturday they showed us the clinical, confident and comfortable side they've built their reputation on.

With just six matches left, United are looking the favorites to win the title with every week, as they look to be firing on all cylinders down the stretch, while challengers Arsenal appear to be sputtering.

Playing Fulham certainly helped matters. In fact, you couldn't pick a much easier opponent to travel to Old Trafford, as Mark Hughes' side have been hapless on the road over past seasons. They didn't put up much of a fight either, and looked satisfied with just a 2-0 defeat in the second 45 minutes while Man U cruised to the three points.

The Whites are a side to look for in the future. Bobby Zamora is back and will be fit for next season, and everyone has enjoyed the offensive spark that Clint Dempsey has provided this year, as he has evolved into one of the EPL's more consistent attackers. And despite his lack of goal scoring this season, I still like the potential of 24-year old Moussa Dembele, who has the talent to flirt with double-digit goal tallies in future years should be a bit more clinical in the box.

Arsenal Keep Pace

Arsenal 3-1 Blackpool HIGHLIGHTS

After Arsenal's high-powered attack struggled to find their rhythm in last week's scoreless draw with Blackburn, a matchup with defensively challenged Blackpool was just what the doctor ordered. The Gunners seized the opportunity, starting strong at Bloomfield Road and weathering the storm in a much more difficult second half.

The Gunners were running rampant immediately, and the Tangerine defense were quite rattled as the Gunners combined dangerously around their box. They took the lead in the 18th via an incisive pass across the box from Van Persie, leaving Diaby with a simple touch for the goal.

Emmanuel Eboue scored his first premiership goal in nearly two seasons when he combined nicely with Jack Wilshere and burst into the box before finishing well with his left foot.

The rest of the half was a clinic of sorts courtesy of the visitors. Nasri was unlucky to hit the post and Diaby spurned another chance later on. At the half, the Tangerines had to be happy that it was just 2-0, although they were just inches away from an opener when Cesc Fabregas cleared off the line.

Ian Holloway surely gave his team a piece of his mind at the half, and Blackpool did come out a much livelier side. Arsenal appeared to want to glide to the finish line, but the home side had other thoughts, and Gary Taylor-Fletcher scored in the 52nd to make the favorites sweat. It could have been worse for Arsenal, as Jens Lehmann had taken out D.J. Campbell in the box moments before Taylor-Fletchers strike, but advantage was played and the goalkeeper avoided a potential red card.

Inspired by their strong start, Blackpool continued to press forward. They had their chances, too. Taylor-Fletcher, Campbell, and Keith Southern all went close. But in the end, it would be Arsenal scoring the fourth goal of the match in the 76th, as a beautiful piece of counterattacking football concluded with substitute Theo Walcott playing Robin Van Persie in for a routine one-touch finish.

A string of sub-par results has seen Arsenal's title chase reach dire straights. But it's anything but over for the Gunners, who sit seven points back of Man U, but have a match in hand, and a head-to-head matchup with the Red Devils over their last seven matches. It's quite conceivable that they may need to take all 21 points down the stretch. However, the Gunners have shown the quality to go on such a run throughout the season, it's just a matter of showing that quality consistently for the remainder the year.

Arsene Wenger insists that his Gunners are still very much in the title race, and the numbers say he's right. But the fixture list tells a different story, as a host of tough matches await . The Gunners host Liverpool next Sunday, and the Reds appear to be firing on all cylinders after drilling Manchester City 3-0 on Monday. But even if they do take that fixture, there is plenty more to do, with trips to Stoke, Bolton and Tottenham all sandwiching May 1's faceoff with Man U. With the kind of run-in they're facing, the Gunners will need a herculean effort merely to be within striking distance of United when the two teams meet.

Chelsea's "Other" Striker

Fernando Torres £50M purchase, and subsequent struggles, have been the story of note at Stamford Bridge since January. But while the expensive Spaniard has been firing blanks in London, a young Blues loanee is scoring in bunches up north.

When Daniel Sturridge went on loan to Bolton in January, there wasn't a ton of fanfare. After all, it was hard to get a real look at the young Englishman, who struggled to break into the Chelsea lineup, often being relegated to coming off the bench for league matches and getting the majority of his starts in cup ties.

I thought he actually showed some nice flashes of his talent during Chelsea's trial of the U.S. in past years, showing off some fantastic pace to go alongside a clever left foot. He's cashed in on his vast potential since making the move to Wanderers, scoring six goals in seven matches.

Amongst those scores (with analysis from BBC's Match of the Day) have been a few of the highest class.

Keep an eye on Sturridge next season at Chelsea. At the very least, there should be a very interesting competition for playing time at striker come preseason.

Rallying Call for Tottenham and Company

With the exception of Manchester United and Chelsea's second leg, the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal's appear to be of the anti-climactic variety, with the other three ties all but decided. Heading into their respective second legs, Inter visit Schalke trailing 5-2, Tottenham hosts real Madrid with a 4-0 deficit to cope with, and Barcelona heads to Shakhtar holding a 5-1 advantage.

Spurring a miracle comeback might not seem in the cards for the downtrodden trio of quarterfinalists. But crazier things have happened before in European Football, and we don't have to go too far back to find some examples. How about Fulham's unbelievable comeback in the Europa League last season? They trailed Juventus 3-0 on aggregate at Craven Cottage, but came back to score an incredible four goals (with American Clint Dempsey scoring one of his finest goals to win it) to shock the favored side from Turin. Or what about Maccabi Haifa's response against Kazakh side Aktobe in the third round of Champions League Qualifying in 2009? That was one to remember, and the Israeli's ended up qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

I'm not making any predictions here. But with three teams facing similar situations as Fulham and Haifa over the next two days, let's not rule anything out just yet.