Win over United tees Chelsea up for April league title coronation
CHELSEA’S victory over Manchester United on Saturday means the Blues could clinch their first Premier League title for five years before the end of the month.
A win at their nearest challengers Arsenal on Sunday would leave Jose Mourinho’s men able to take an unassailable lead with three more points at Leicester the following Wednesday.
Should the Gunners achieve a draw at Emirates Stadium, Chelsea may need two more wins to make the league title safe, meaning the earliest point they could be crowned would be at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday 3 May.
An Arsenal victory would leave the Blues requiring three more wins to be certain of the title, assuming Arsene Wenger’s side won their intervening games. That would make the visit of last year’s title rivals Liverpool on Sunday 10 May a possible coronation date.
Chelsea have won their last four league matches but Eden Hazard, who scored the winner against United, has warned against celebrating prematurely.
He said: “It is close but it is not finished and when you play in the Premier League it is very difficult, and you never know in football.”
REMAINING GAMES
26 April: Arsenal (A)
29 April: Leicester (A)
3 May: Crystal Palace (H)
10 May: Liverpool (H)
18 May: West Brom (A)
24 May: Sunderland (H)