MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, May 8, (AFP): Javier Hernandez and Nemanja Vidic earned Manchester United a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford that moves Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to the brink of a record 19th league title.
Hernandez opened the scoring with just 37 seconds gone and Vidic added a second before Frank Lampard’s second-half effort gave the hosts an anxious final quarter.
But United, who will face Barcelona in the Champions League final on May 28, held on for a win that moved them six points above Chelsea with just two matches remaining.
United can wrap up the title with a point from either of their final two matches, at Blackburn next weekend or at home to Blackpool on the final day.
They currently sit level with Liverpool on a haul of 18 titles and their next victory will make them the most successful side in England.
United gave themselves the best possible start by taking the lead with just over half a minute gone thanks to a slip from Chelsea defender David Luiz.
Ryan Giggs passed to South Korea’s Park Ji-Sung whose pass sought out Hernandez. The Mexican was put through on goal by Luiz’s slip before he guided a low shot past Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal.
United looked in determined mood and Wayne Rooney almost added a second with a drilled effort from 30 yards that was pushed wide by Cech.
Chelsea knew they had to win and that desperation was reflected in Didier Drogba’s attempt to beat Edwin van der Sar from 45 yards.
United were doing all the real pressing and went close again when Park’s clipped cross was just missed by Hernandez after the ball dropped over Luiz.
And Rooney threatened again when he picked the ball up from Antonio Valencia and thumped another effort just wide.
In Chelsea’s first decent attack, Drogba headed straight up in the air from Florent Malouda’s cross and after Van der Sar punched away, he got back up again to hold Salomon Kalou’s rebound.
Cech was in top form again to tip away a powerful curing shot from Park but the Czech goalkeeper could do nothing about United’s second.
From a short corner, Giggs clipped over a cross and Vidic got in front of fellow Serbian Branislav Ivanovic to head in from close range.
The visitors almost responded immediately when Malouda’s corner was flicked on by John Terry and Kalou’s close-range header was turned away by Van der Sar.
Drogba also had a free kick beaten away by Van der Sar before curling another one wide of goal.
Both managers made changes at the interval, with Carlo Ancelotti bringing on Ramires and Alex for John Obi Mikel and the seemingly injured Luiz, while Jonny Evans came on for John O’Shea.
The visitors were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Valencia’s cross appeared to strike Lampard on the hand.
Just before the hour, Ancelotti also threw on Fernando Torres to attempt to bring some life into his side.
Alex tried his luck from 30 yards, giving Van der Sar a simple save, as the visitors struggled to penetrate.
And the Dutchman was also quickly off his line to gather a deflected Ramires cross, with Drogba poised to pounce.
But in the 68th minute, Chelsea pulled one back when Ramires’ cross was flicked on by Ivanovic and prodded in by Lampard.
United could have restored their lead just over a minute later when Hernandez broke through and squared for Rooney only for the England striker to be denied by Alex’s block.
Torres also had a penalty appeal turned down in the closing stages, before Rooney’s low effort from Evans’ pass ran just past the post.
Rooney wasted another great chance to seal the game when he was put through only to be held up and moments later his shot from just outside the area was deflected over by Alex.
Stoke 3, Arsenal 1
In Stoke, Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes were surely killed off for good here as Stoke warmed up for next week’s FA Cup final with a comprehensive 3-1 victory at the Britannia Stadium.
Arsenal’s wait for silverware will almost certainly stretch to six years after a defeat that will see them eliminated from the title race if Manchester United avoid defeat against Chelsea later Sunday.
Kenwyne Jones and Jermaine Pennant set Stoke on their way to ensuring their unbeaten home record in 2011 remains intact to leave Arsene Wenger finally admitting defeat in his bid to catch Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti.
Robin van Persie arrowed in a consolation for the Gunners nine minutes from time but Jon Walters produced an instant response after shambolic Arsenal defending that summed up the club’s season.
Stoke’s abrasive approach has infuriated Arsenal in the past, culminating in the much-publicised challenge on Aaron Ramsey from Ryan Shawcross last February that only served to inflame relations between Wenger and Stoke boss Tony Pulis.
And any thoughts Wenger might have had of Stoke minds drifting towards their Wembley date with Manchester City next weekend will have been dismissed by Pulis refusing to make any team changes.
The bad blood was demonstrated by Pulis’ refusal to shake hands with his opponent before the game but there were no real fireworks on the pitch in a dour first half.
Van Persie blasted wastefully wide after six minutes, following a clever through ball from Ramsey, but they did not look like a team desperate for three points.
And they fell behind just before the half hour, with Stoke’s first real meaningful attack.
Pennant bent in a delicious cross and Jones easily converted his fifth goal in six games from close range as the visiting defence dithered. “1-0 to the rugby team” chanted the Stoke supporters.
The hosts were further ahead five minutes after a goal that even Wenger could have been forced to grudgingly praise.
Pennant picked up a botched Ramsey pass 40 yards from goal and was allowed to run on unopposed before his shot took a substantial deflection off Johan Djourou to loop over Wojciech Szczesny.
Incredibly, Stoke could have increased their lead barely a minute later when Walters struck the crossbar.
The only headache Pulis will have picked up from this game was the loss of defender Robert Huth early in the second period with what appeared a shoulder injury, making him a doubt for Wembley.
Arsenal did battle valiantly to produce a snarl of defiance and van Persie beat Asmir Begovic with a low drive but Walters was given far too much room a minute later to clinch a sweet victory.
Wolves 3, West Brom 1
In Wolverhampton, Steven Fletcher bagged a priceless double as the Wolves striker inspired a 3-1 victory over local rivals West Bromwich Albion that lifted his side out of the relegation zone.
Mick McCarthy’s team kicked off in 19th place in the Premier League but two goals from Fletcher and an Adlene Guedioura strike put Wolves firmly in control before Peter Odemwingie’s penalty briefly threatened to spark an Albion fightback.
Wolves’ biggest win over their old enemies in 10 years has left them one place and one point above the relegation zone and, after a season of struggles, they are finally in control of their own destiny with just two matches to play.
“On May 22 (the last day of the season) I want to be out of the bottom three. As good as it feels today we have still got two vital games,” McCarthy said.
“But I talked about cool heads and (Steven) Fletcher had one, he had ice running through his veins when he took his third.”
Wolves started on the offensive and Scott Carson was forced to turn aside a free-kick from Jamie O’Hara.
From the corner, Scotland striker Fletcher put Wolves ahead with his 10th goal of the season and his third in the last four games.
Stephen Hunt’s centre was flicked on by Guedioura inside the six-yard box and Fletcher applied the finishing touch.
Guedioura came close to doubling the lead when his free-kick curled just over the bar.
It came as no surprise when Wolves doubled their lead after 27 minutes.
Hunt’s corner was headed back across goal by Fletcher and the unmarked Guedioura volleyed past Carson from close range.
Fletcher was causing constant problems in the air and he headed just wide from another O’Hara corner.
It was no surprise when Wolves extended their lead two minutes into the second half after a mistake by Albion defender Abdoulaye Meite.
Meite looked to have covered a through ball from Kevin Foley. But he allowed the ball to slip under his foot and left Fletcher with a clear run at goal and he kept his cool before clipping the ball past Carson into the corner of the net.
Odemwingie gave the Baggies a glimmer of hope from the penalty spot in the 55th minute.
Guedioura brought down Thomas and Odemwingie planted the spot-kick into the corner of the net for his 15th goal of the season.
Albion could have reduced the deficit further when Thomas hammered his shot against the crossbar, while Somen Tchoyi should have done better than head over from a good position.
Ward could have made it 4-1 but the Wolves midfielder pulled his shot wide with only Carson to beat.