Ancelotti calm despite Chelsea blip
Source: Agencies |
December 7, 2009, Monday
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CHELSEA manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident his English Premier League leader has no reason to worry despite seeing its five-point gap cut to two on Saturday after losing 1-2 at Manchester City.
Strikes from Emmanuel Adebayor, who also scored an own-goal, and Carlos Tevez ensured an end to Chelsea's run of five league wins with five clean sheets, while second-placed Manchester United kept up the pressure with a resounding 4-0 win at West Ham United.
"We do not need to have a big reaction because the team is still in a good moment, we showed good play, but it was difficult because City played very well," Ancelotti told the club's Website.
With Liverpool slumped in seventh place after a dreadful run of form, including Saturday's 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers, this season's title chase has become a two-horse race between Chelsea and United, with third-placed Arsenal a rank outsider.
But Chelsea's defeat, which followed a mid-week League Cup quarterfinal exit at Blackburn, albeit for a second-string side, has shown a rare slip in form although Ancelotti remains calm.
"We have two points more than the second team and we don't have reason to be worried," said the Italian, whose side has 36 points.
Frank Lampard's first penalty miss, his shot was saved by City keeper Shay Given, since September 2006 and a spurned Didier Drogba chance let City off the hook although Ancelotti felt the home side's goals should never have happened.
"Micah Richards did a handball for their first goal and the second situation for me was not clear because I think Ricardo Carvalho cleared the ball cleanly," he said.
City manager Mark Hughes was naturally thrilled. "I thought we were magnificent from start to finish," he told ESPN. "We got off to the worst possible start, very unlucky with the goal, but from that point onwards we took the fight to Chelsea."
United romped at West Ham with a defense depleted through injury. Paul Scholes set the Red Devils on the way, with Darron Gibson, Antonio Valencia and Wayne Rooney completing the rout.
Arsenal moved up to third on 28 with a 2-0 home win over Stoke City while Tottenham Hotspur, which was visiting Everton yesterday, and Aston Villa, 3-0 home winner over Hull City, have 26. City is sixth on 25, a point ahead of Liverpool.
In the battle against relegation, Portsmouth stayed bottom despite beating Burnley 2-0 and Wolverhampton moved above Bolton in the drop zone by winning 2-1. Birmingham City continued its surge by beating Wigan Athletic 3-2 away.
Strikes from Emmanuel Adebayor, who also scored an own-goal, and Carlos Tevez ensured an end to Chelsea's run of five league wins with five clean sheets, while second-placed Manchester United kept up the pressure with a resounding 4-0 win at West Ham United.
"We do not need to have a big reaction because the team is still in a good moment, we showed good play, but it was difficult because City played very well," Ancelotti told the club's Website.
With Liverpool slumped in seventh place after a dreadful run of form, including Saturday's 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers, this season's title chase has become a two-horse race between Chelsea and United, with third-placed Arsenal a rank outsider.
But Chelsea's defeat, which followed a mid-week League Cup quarterfinal exit at Blackburn, albeit for a second-string side, has shown a rare slip in form although Ancelotti remains calm.
"We have two points more than the second team and we don't have reason to be worried," said the Italian, whose side has 36 points.
Frank Lampard's first penalty miss, his shot was saved by City keeper Shay Given, since September 2006 and a spurned Didier Drogba chance let City off the hook although Ancelotti felt the home side's goals should never have happened.
"Micah Richards did a handball for their first goal and the second situation for me was not clear because I think Ricardo Carvalho cleared the ball cleanly," he said.
City manager Mark Hughes was naturally thrilled. "I thought we were magnificent from start to finish," he told ESPN. "We got off to the worst possible start, very unlucky with the goal, but from that point onwards we took the fight to Chelsea."
United romped at West Ham with a defense depleted through injury. Paul Scholes set the Red Devils on the way, with Darron Gibson, Antonio Valencia and Wayne Rooney completing the rout.
Arsenal moved up to third on 28 with a 2-0 home win over Stoke City while Tottenham Hotspur, which was visiting Everton yesterday, and Aston Villa, 3-0 home winner over Hull City, have 26. City is sixth on 25, a point ahead of Liverpool.
In the battle against relegation, Portsmouth stayed bottom despite beating Burnley 2-0 and Wolverhampton moved above Bolton in the drop zone by winning 2-1. Birmingham City continued its surge by beating Wigan Athletic 3-2 away.
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