Today was the final day of the Premiership season with all teams playing at the same time. The relegation places have already been decided but there was still a chance that Manchester United could steal the title from leaders Chelsea on the final day. They needed to beat Stoke and they needed Chelsea to lose or draw at home to Wigan if the Red Devils were to claim another title though.
Man Utd were 1/7 to beat Stoke whilst Chelsea were 1/9 to beat Wigan, with Chelsea 1/10 to win the title. Slim pickings for the pundits with a title that was sure to only go one way.
Chelsea took just six minutes to score at Stamford Bridge when Anelka volleyed in to settle the early nerves against Wigan. Lampard then won and scored a penalty for the Blues with the offending player, Gary Caldwell, seeing red for the offense. Just as Chelsea were scoring their second, Manchester United grabbed their first against Stoke with Fletcher scoring a tap in. But Manchester United needed ten man Wigan to take points from Chelsea who were two goals up and had one hand on the trophy with only thirty minutes gone.
Giggs drove in a second for Manchester United as both sides went 2-0 up before halftime. Ten minutes into the second half the two contenders were still matching each other stride for stride as they both went 3-0 up, with Higginbotham putting the ball into his own net at Old Trafford whilst Kalou slid in a neat goal at Stamford Bridge.
Anelka then struck a sweet volley to score his second and Chelsea’s fourth before Drogba scored Chelsea’s fifth – and 100th goal of the season – with a back post header after the hour mark. Man Utd remained at 3-0 but Chelsea continued to cruise and Drogba slammed in a penalty, before tapping in a rebound for his hattrick and Chelsea’s seventh.
At Old Trafford J. S Park headed in a fourth and Ashely Cole rounded off the game at Stamford Bridge with a superb volley which gave Chelsea an 8-0 win on a day which saw them lift the Premiership trophy.
