Ancelotti tips Chelsea for title

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Battling victory delights Ancelotti

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti says his side are in a strong position to claim the Premier League title after their 2-1 win at Manchester United.

Chelsea are two points clear of United with Arsenal a further point back after their late victory over Wolves.

But despite a superior goal difference with five games remaining, the Italian is taking nothing for granted.

"We are favourites but nothing has been decided. We have to maintain focus and composure," he said.

"There are more possibilities for us, more possibilities than Manchester United. But we are happy to win here. It is very important for our confidence."

FOOTBALL BLOG Ancelotti put his reputation on the line by keeping Drogba under wraps at the start, no doubt well aware of where the finger of blame would point had Chelsea failed to secure the win they needed Phil McNulty

Chelsea took the lead through Joe Cole after 20 minutes but the game was decided by substitute Didier Drogba's second-half strike, despite appeals for offside from the home side.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson also conceded that his side were no longer in pole position to win a fourth consecutive title after suffering their seventh defeat of the season.

No side has ever lost seven games in a 38-game campaign and gone on to win the title.

The defeat comes at the end of a week where United lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with the return leg to come at Old Trafford next Wednesday and Ferguson knows it is a testing time for his players.

"We are two points behind, so Chelsea are definitely favourites now, there is no question about that," he admitted.

"We have to lift ourselves. It is so important. We are trying to get into the semi-final of the European Cup and a final in Madrid is beckoning. That is incentive enough."

Cole confident of helping Chelsea to title

Arsenal's title chances looked to be slipping away from them at the Emirates against Wolves before Nicklas Bentner's goal four minutes into injury-time kept them in the title race and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted afterwards it was a key moment for his side.

"It keeps us in the title race, yes. If we had not won, it would have been finished," said the Frenchman.

"You know if you are five points behind Chelsea with five games to go, you can forget it, but with three points it is feasible.

"We have a difficult programme but they have a difficult programme as well but there is no margin for error."

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