Match Timeline

Chelsea
Manchester United
  • KO
  • 5
  • HT
  • 61
  • 64
  • 66
  • 73
  • 73
  • 76
  • 82
  • 85
  • FT

Match Commentary

93'
Jose Mourinho, wearing a Portugal scarf, joins his victorious players on the pitch as they hug and celebrate in the centre circle! The trophy will soon be presented and the party will begin!
93'
The final whistle goes and Chelsea are the Champions after emphatically beating their closest rivals 3-0 on their home ground. It doesn't get much sweeter than that!
92'
The ball goes out for a throw, but it doesn't come back and someone has a very nice souvenir!
91'
Mourinho leaves the bench and walks to the United dugout to shake hands with Alex Ferguson. The game goes on, but the celebrations have started on the touchline...
90'
Three minutes of added time signalled.
89'
They might not have played the most exciting brand of football this season but you can't argue with their Champions' credentials based on toady's performance.
88'
So, as Chelsea knock the ball around the pitch, the chant 'Champions, Champions' echoes around the ground.
87'
Terry is limping badly - his movement is seriously restriced, but the hero will not leave the battle until it is won.
86'
Saha messes around with the ball and is tackled by Terry - why the striker just didn't pass it is beyond me.
85'
That was Drogba's last involvement - he leaves the pitch to warm, but not extravagant applause. On in his stead is Maniche.
84'
Crespo and Drogba unite to miss the chance of bagging a 4th.
83'
Chelsea move up the pitch with Gallas, but Neville nicks the ball off his foot.
82'
The clock ticks relentlessly on after that injury hiatus - we'll have some stoppage time for that incident.
79'
Lampard and Terry lead the applause as Rooney to carried off. The implications of this moment are not good and everyone at the Bridge knows is. Rooney's face shows the pain he feels physically and the anxiety of a young man who knows he is seriously injured on the eve of the World Cup.
78'
He is flat out, and clearly an anxious young man. Is it the same injury to the same foot he damaged in Euro 2004 against Portugal?
77'
England's World Cup hopes are taking a beating today - First Terry, but now, much more seriously, Rooney is down and needs the stretcher to leave the pitch.
76'
Oh dear. While on the subject of injuries, Wayne Rooney is down and in agony clutching his right foot...
75'
Somehow Terry is still on the pitch. I hope he isn't playing on when he should be getting treatment. One can appreciate why he would want to play on today of all days, but aggravating an injury would not help his World Cup dreams.
74'
Joe Cole leaves to applause to be replaced with Aerosmith stunt double Hernan Crespo - Dude looks like a lady...
73'
It has been a great performance from Chelsea today. United were expected to make things a lot more difficult for the Champions-in-waiting; but they have proved to be no match.
71'
Carvalho won the ball in his own half and instead of passing off he drove forward. His run created a 5 on 3 situation, Cole collected the ball, movement from Drogba and Duff created space for Carvalho and he lashed his shot into the goal to secure a second title for Chelsea.
71'
Great goal for Chelsea - 3-0 to the Champions!
70'
Cole nearly bagged a second for him and a third for Chelsa after spinning and collecting a pass from Drogba, but his effort was blocked
69'
Independently of each other Giggs and Terry are down and injured. Giggs look OK, but Terry could be forced off. Sven holds his breath - an injury to his only in-form centre half a month before the World Cup would not be ideal!
68'
'Stand up for the Champions' is the cry around Stamford Bridge.
67'
United looked short of ideas as they tried to make the most of possession on the edge of the Chelsea box - they were out-numbered, but just standing around and looking at your team-mates is hardly incisive
66'
Change for Chelsea: Goodbye to Robben; Hellow to Damien Duff.
65'
Terry does well to calm Rooney after he fouled Drogba. The United man was booked and looked very unhappy, but his England team-mate stepped in and calmed the Shrek-a-like.
64'
Can Ruud make the difference? He goes up front with Saha and Rooney looks to have dropped off and to the left.
63'
Ferguson rolls the dice: Ruud van Nistelrooy joins the game, Cristiano Ronaldo is taken off after a tetchy and ineffective game.
62'
United press forward, desperate to get back into the game - they need three without reply to spoil this party. Can they?
61'
Is that the goal that secured the title?
61'
Exceptional touch and technique from Joe Cole on the edge of the box. He collected the ball, jinked and turned past three defenders to before bearing down on Van der Sar and hammered his shot emphatically home!
60'
GOOOOOAAALLLL!!
59'
Robben's pace buys him half a yard of space and fires another shot on goal - Ferdinand did well to force him wide and unbalance the attacker just as he shot.
58'
Soccernet to Wayne Rooney: Where are you? Hello? Anyone there?
57'
John Terry is limping again.
56'
Robben tries to score in the top corner when he had three un-marked team-mates. Jose is unhappy. Moments earlier Cole had made our old chum O'Shea look flat-footed and slow. Not hard, admittedly.
55'
Ronaldo has been rightly booked for persistent fouling.
54'
Great effort from Cole after a good spell of possession and movement from Chelsea. His clipped shot just lacked the pace and three inches of placement.
53'
Absolutely pathetic freekick from Ronaldo! An abject effort to score from an impossible angle. Ferguson's grim visage on the bench says he's not happy either.
52'
Lampard gets a talking to from the ref after saying a bit too much after a foul was given against Chelsea on the right edge of the box...
51'
Gallas booked for a ridiculous handball. Idiot.
50'
Bright start to the second half by Man Utd - there is a zip to their play that was lacking in the first half.
49'
Now Ronaldo tracks back and fouls a rampaging Carvalho
48'
Ronaldo fires a speculative shot on goal when a pass to other might have been wiser - still at least he's having a go.
47'
Silvestre with some good work - keeping close to Cole, preventing him from turning and eventually nicking the ball off his toe. Good defending.
47'
Better from Lampard - a trademark drive forward before an inch perfect 35-yard pass to Drogba.
46'
Silvestre clears the United lines after Drogba tried to release Cole with cheeky over-head flick
46'
Very early foul - Giggs taking out Robben after a good tackle.
46'
Right, the players are out and United kick us off for the second half.
46'
Keep it here to follow the second half, and follow how badly John O'Shea performs. I might rename 'Gamecast' 'O'Shea-Rubbish-Cast'...
46'
So, Chelsea on top; both in goals, possession, skills, play and technique. Another 45 minutes for United to spoil the party or they'll have to watch Chelsea win the title under their noses.
46'
That's half-time.
46'
Credit where it's due: O'Shea ghosts into the box and heads just over the bar. Actually, I take back the credit - No-one marked him, but, of course, why would you, and even then he headed over. Rubbish. Sell him, actually that might be difficult. Give him away.
46'
A rare moment of movement from the terrible O'Shea
45'
Freekick given against Drogba for... well, for trying to get the ball. Which seems a bit harsh really, but there you go...
45'
Two minutes of added time, then we can all have a nice cup of tea.
44'
Saha feeds Roanldo on the left who switches the ball to Giggs on the opposite wing - he crosses, but Terry heads clear
42'
Rooney loses the all for United and Chelsea break at pace - but Neville defends brilliantly
41'
Ronaldo fires in a long range effort, which eventually re-bounds out to Rooney who fires on Cech's goal and is denied by the Chelsea keeper who dived low to his right to make a great save.
40'
Saha taken out by Makelele and is having a talk with the ref.
38'
Odd moment there, with United on the back foot and Chelsea in a good position far up on the right wing Ferreira bassed the ball back 45 yards to central defence rather than cross. What's that about? Goals are what we want!
37'
Ronaldo forced to pass back to Van der Sar under-pressure from Ferreira on the United left.
36'
O'Shea wastes the ball after standing around like a lost lamp-post for five minutes. Message to Sir Alex: Drop the deadwood and you'll have a chance.
35'
Lampard quite quiet today, so far anyway... Curse of the commentary - he'll get a double hat-trick now and make me look stupid!
34'
Giggs flighted the ball in, but Chelsea head the danger clear with almost embarrassing ease
32'
A booking for Makelele for a raised arm into Park's face. Freekick on the right flank for United.
31'
Gary Neville is clearly up for the game today - his steely-eyed determination in the tunnel ahead of the game has been transferred to the pitch. It's a shame some of his more lightweight colleagues don't display the same desire. Rio, Silvestre, O'Shea. All look a bit resigned, to me at least.
30'
A third of the game gone and, as it stands, Chelsea will be crowned Champions today.
29'
Chelsea playing keep-ball, trying to settle things down after a decent spell from United
28'
Park and Saha contrive to waste the ball on the edge of the Chelsea box - these two men really seem to lack the physical attributes needed to compete with Terry, Carvalho, Gallas and Ferreira
27'
A Ronaldo shot from distance and from a narrow angle is taken by Cech. Why didn't he cross to an attacker? Oh, there weren't any! Poor from United.
25'
A decent spell of possession in an advanced part of the pitch for United ends after Makelelelelelelelelele (you try spelling it) and Gallas smothered Park's attack.
24'
The pace of the game has upped in the last 120 seconds - with chances at both ends. This time Terry controlling Saha, bossing the Frenchman and preventing him from getting a shot off.
23'
At the other end Chelsea respond at once: Robben running the byline and crossing back into the box, but just too high for Drogba to connect with.
22'
Rooney misses United best chance of the game, pulling his shot wide of the goal after breaking through - the ball seemed to slow after hitting some long grass or a divet, it did enough to put Rooney off his stride and miss the chance
21'
Ferdinand actaully did some good defending then - heading clear after a Gallas cross
21'
Ronaldo took the freekick but the ball dipped and bounced and Cech watched it comfortably into his gloves.
20'
Rooney taken down by Ferreira = freekick 40 yards out.
19'
Ferdinand loses the ball afte trying another show-boating dribble. Why does he bother?
18'
Drogba now limping after a clash with Vidic - nothing sinister, just a good old-fashioned challenge
18'
Lampard tries to blast the freekick home from long range, but the wall does its job
17'
A failed United attack quickly turns into a freekick to Chelsea in the United half - Giggs judged to impeded Drogba
15'
It's all Chelsea at the moment - United can't keep the ball and certainly can't get any rhythm
14'
Robben fails to connect with the ball and fluffs a great scoring opportunity. On his weaker right foot the Dutch attacker couldn't get his shot away after Drogba had created the opening with great control and a deft touch
13'
Decent atmosphere at The Bridge, as Drogba fires wildly wide and high.
12'
Robben fires in the freekick from the flank and United somehow manage to clear the threat - United look a bit weak in the air at the back.
12'
Freekick given against Vidic after a 50-50 tugging tussle on the flank.
11'
The question now for Chelsea is with a goal in the bag do you press for another, or defend what you've got? Let's hope they press - it'll be much better to watch!
10'
Play is back underway, and Terry is on the picth, limping, but playing on.
9'
Terry doesn't stay down unless he's badly hurt. Finally he limps off. Rooney caught the defender just below the shinpad and blood can be seen on Terry's white sock.
8'
Tempers are at boiling point. United angry at the goal and the foul on Ronaldo, now Chelsea are angry that their skipper is down and looking very badly hurt...
7'
Yellow card for Cech - the Chelsea keeper ran 30 yards out of his goal to scream disapproval at a tackle by Rooney which has left Terry injured and taking treatment on the deck
6'
Robben looks lively, pressing and causing problems down the right flank
5'
United press forward, clearly stung by the early goal
5'
William Gallas heads Chelsea into the lead from the corner! Cole whipped the ball into the box, Drogba flicked on and in the six-yard box, totally unmarked was Gallas. Silvestre should have tracked the run - he didn't and Chelsea are in the lead
4'
GOOOOAAAAALLL!!!
4'
Corner for Chelsea - elsewhere on the pitch Ronaldo is limping after tackle by Lamaprd
3'
Another freekick: Gallas ruled to have unfairly taken out Cristiano Ronaldo as the Chelsea man bombed forward
3'
Cole and Ferreira feel a lively-looking Park - freekick
2'
Park lofts a nice ball into the box for Saha, but Terry reads the danger and heads clear
1'
Terry, Gallas and Carvalho pass the ball across the back as they get a feel for the game
-
Makelele and Essien have doubled-up on Rooney and close down United's main threat
-
That was a bit unexpected: Mourinho just tapped Sir Alex on the shoulder and gave him a warm embrace on the touchline. We're underway...
-
The players are warming up on the pitch and we're just moments from kick-off...
-
Mike Dean is the man in the middle, and he'll surely have his work cut out for him today. Chelsea just need a point to secure the league, so to spoil the party United need to attack and win. Brace yourselves!
-
You just know the last thing United will want to do is watch their title rivals lift the trophy in front of them today. Equally, there is nothing Chelsea want more than to seal the league at home against United. It promises to be one heck of a game...
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For Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Ronaldo, O'Shea, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Saha. And the Subs: Howard, Evra, Brown, van Nistelrooy, Richardson.
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Lining up for Chelsea: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Makelele, Joe Cole, Essien, Lampard, Robben, Drogba. On the Subs' bench: Cudicini, Maniche, Crespo, Duff, Geremi.
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It's a potential classic heavyweight clash - Blue v Red, highest possible stakes! Keep it here for all the action!
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So, here we go people. Chelsea need just a draw at home to clinch the Premiership title. Standing in their way Manchester Untied.