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January 7, 2011

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Chelsea slumps, Arsenal held

CHELSEA'S hopes of retaining the Premier League title looked forlorn and Carlo Ancelotti's future equally bleak on Wednesday as the champion's fall from grace continued with a 0-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

On a night when Manchester City emerged unscathed from a grilling at Arsenal to draw 0-0 and stay second in the title race behind Manchester United, Jose Bosingwa's early own goal condemned Chelsea to a fifth defeat in 11 league matches.

In that period last season's double winners have collected just 10 points and have slumped from top to fifth, nine points off the pace.

"I'm still confident but obviously I have to do better because this is not enough what we are doing at this moment," a downbeat Ancelotti said.

Ancelotti finds himself in good company with several other managers appearing to be skating on thin ice at the end of frenetic spate of Christmas and New Year fixtures.

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson accused his side of a "shooting ourselves in the foot moment" as it went down 1-3 at Blackburn Rovers to quickly wipe out the tonic of a last-gasp win over Bolton Wanderers a few days earlier.

Avram Grant's West Ham United returned to the foot of the table after a 0-5 hammering at Newcastle United while Gerard Houllier's prospects also look bleak as his Aston Villa side fell into the bottom three after a 0-1 home defeat by sixth-placed Sunderland.

Tottenham Hotspur wasted the chance to strengthen its place in the top four when it went down 1-2 at Everton, meaning it was a tremendous night for leader Manchester United which has enjoyed full value from its 2-1 home victory over Stoke City on Tuesday and now looks primed for a title charge.

United leads the table with 44 points from 20 games with City on 42 having played two games more. Arsenal is third with 40 from 21 and Tottenham has 36.

Wigan Athletic earned a point against Bolton Wanderers but remained in the relegation zone.




 

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