City still on course for title

Howard Webb isn’t very popular in the blue part of London right now. The burly referee, a policeman, had a hand in awarding Manchester United two penalties in the second half of their clash with Chelsea on Sunday, with Wayne Rooney obliging. United threatened but Chelsea were ones who had a 3-0 lead in the second half, and blew it. Andre Villas-Boas must be wondering when a substantial run of luck will come his way.

The draw left United two points behind Manchester City, who efficiently dispatched Everton at Goodison Park to stay atop the English Premier League summit. Sergio Aguero keeps making healthy down payments on his transfer fee in the form of goals, something Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll haven’t quite been able to do since joining Chelsea and Liverpool respectively last year.

Arsenal and Midas-imbued Robin van Persie laid waste to Blackburn, scoring seven goals to keep the pressure on Newcastle, two points ahead of the Gunners after beating Aston Villa 2-1 on Tyneside. Tottenham, the only other team with a realistic if slim chance of unseating the Manchester clubs at the top of the table, were to face Liverpool on Monday at the time of writing.

It’s a crucial fixture for both sides, with Harry Redknapp’s side trying to lock down a Champions League place beyond the title race. Liverpool, two points behind Arsenal, are battling it out with both the Gunners and the Magpies to unseat Chelsea, who have a slender one point lead at fourth, that ever important Champions League qualification birth.

At the bottom of the table, Bolton, Wigan, QPR, Blackburn and Wolves appear to be the clubs that will be engaged in a relegation battle come the end of the season. With arguably Bolton’s best player, Gary Cahill, going to Chelsea, it won’t be easy for Owen Coyle’s team at the Reebok.

City have been impressive this season in that they have managed to bounce back from setbacks to still lead the league two-thirds of the way through the season. Their rivals perhaps haven’t capitalised as they should’ve, but if you had offered a two point lead over Manchester United to manager Roberto Mancini at the start of the season, he probably would’ve taken it.

City’s depth on the bench is of such a standard that their second team could probably give some of the clubs in the lower half of the table a run for their money. Carlos who?

Their miserly defence, the best in the league, and their potent attack, the most lethal in the country, leave them with a goal difference of 44, 10 more than Manchester United.

While a lot can happen in 14 games, a better goal difference equates to an extra point, crucial as the end of the season approaches. David Silva has arguably been the stand-out midfielder this season, with Paul Scholes’s return at United suggestive of a lack of quality in depth, their blue neighbour’s strength.

It’s City’s to win.