Focus back on English title

LONDON – Manchester United and Chelsea renew hostilities in the Premier League title race this weekend, with Alex Ferguson’s men hosting Blackburn Rovers in a northwest derby and the champions visiting bottom side Watford.

After a two-week break for international duties, Saturday’s other showcase game will be the early kick-off at Anfield between Liverpool and Arsenal, who are fourth and third respectively. United, like all the top clubs, hope their international players will return unscathed from qualifiers and friendlies as they prepare for the decisive final six weeks of the season.Ferguson’s side, who are defending a six-point lead at the top, are on course to become champions for the first time since 2003 and deny second-placed Chelsea a hat-trick of titles.Chelsea will be on the lookout for three points and any travelling celery-throwers at Vicarage Road.Watford are 11 points from safety with eight games left and virtually certain to be relegated – just the kind of side the visitors need to face as they look to get back into the groove.The game comes a few days after Chelsea said they had banned three of their fans for throwing celery in this month’s FA Cup quarter-final replay win at Tottenham Hotspur, having earlier warned that the practice is a criminal offence.The Blues are likely to be without goal-scoring midfielder Frank Lampard, who suffered a wrist injury in England training this week and will be assessed on his return.The weekend’s action gets underway on Merseyside, less than three months after Arsenal beat Liverpool 3-1 at Anfield in the FA Cup and 6-3 in the League Cup in the space of three days.This time the Londoners would probably settle for a draw that would leave them a point ahead of Rafael Benitez’s team and with a game in hand against Manchester City.Both sides are set for a berth in the Champions League qualifiers, though, as fifth-placed Bolton Wanderers are seven points behind Liverpool.Despite the recent cup ties, Liverpool have only lost at home once this season in the league – foiled by John O’Shea’s 90th minute winner for Manchester United four weeks ago.Down at the bottom, Watford are likely to be joined by West Ham United in the second division next season but Charlton Athletic’s revival under Alan Pardew could yet spare them.Seven points from their last three games have moved Charlton up to 18th place on 27 points, just four points behind Sheffield United and the safety zone.The gap could well narrow this weekend as Charlton host 16th-placed Wigan Athletic at The Valley, while the Blades face a much trickier game on paper at Bolton.Nampa-ReutersUnited, like all the top clubs, hope their international players will return unscathed from qualifiers and friendlies as they prepare for the decisive final six weeks of the season.Ferguson’s side, who are defending a six-point lead at the top, are on course to become champions for the first time since 2003 and deny second-placed Chelsea a hat-trick of titles.Chelsea will be on the lookout for three points and any travelling celery-throwers at Vicarage Road.Watford are 11 points from safety with eight games left and virtually certain to be relegated – just the kind of side the visitors need to face as they look to get back into the groove.The game comes a few days after Chelsea said they had banned three of their fans for throwing celery in this month’s FA Cup quarter-final replay win at Tottenham Hotspur, having earlier warned that the practice is a criminal offence.The Blues are likely to be without goal-scoring midfielder Frank Lampard, who suffered a wrist injury in England training this week and will be assessed on his return.The weekend’s action gets underway on Merseyside, less than three months after Arsenal beat Liverpool 3-1 at Anfield in the FA Cup and 6-3 in the League Cup in the space of three days.This time the Londoners would probably settle for a draw that would leave them a point ahead of Rafael Benitez’s team and with a game in hand against Manchester City.Both sides are set for a berth in the Champions League qualifiers, though, as fifth-placed Bolton Wanderers are seven points behind Liverpool.Despite the recent cup ties, Liverpool have only lost at home once this season in the league – foiled by John O’Shea’s 90th minute winner for Manchester United four weeks ago.Down at the bottom, Watford are likely to be joined by West Ham United in the second division next season but Charlton Athletic’s revival under Alan Pardew could yet spare them.Seven points from their last three games have moved Charlton up to 18th place on 27 points, just four points behind Sheffield United and the safety zone.The gap could well narrow this weekend as Charlton host 16th-placed Wigan Athletic at The Valley, while the Blades face a much trickier game on paper at Bolton.Nampa-Reuters