National
Little emotion for Grant, despite the mild-mannered coach leading his side to the edge of double success
FLORENT MALOUDA rolled
his shot underneath Steve
Harper, turned away in
celebration before being
mobbed by his team-mates.
Chelsea's backroom staff, Steve
Clarke and Henk Ten Cate,
charged to the edge of the
technical area and danced a jig
of delight.
Avram Grant, his stern face
full of satisfaction, walked
slowly from his dug-out,
without any hint that the Israeli
was in any mood to join in the
celebrations. Victory over
Newcastle United had been
secured, the race for the
Premier League title far from
won.
After kneeling to the floor to
kiss the Stamford Bridge turf to
mark Chelsea's progress to the
Champions League final last
Wednesday night, there was no
such display of emotion from
Grant yesterday.
Privately, though, he will be
overcome with pride. His side's
attempt to wrestle the Premier
League crown away from Old
Trafford will enter its final
stage on Sunday, when Bolton
head for the Bridge with
Chelsea still in with a chance of
fulfilling their dream.
Having already achieved one
thing Jose Mourinho failed
during his time in charge by
booking a date in the
Champions League final, Grant
achieved another on Tyneside
yesterday.
Mourinho was unable to win a
Premier League match at St
James' Park during his three
years in charge, yet Grant
succeeded in doing just that on
his first appearance at the
ground.
Given how Manchester
United head to neighbours
Wigan on the final Sunday with
a superior goal difference of 17,
the probability of Sir Alex
Ferguson winning his tenth
league title remains strong.
But, even if they do, Grant's
stock has risen considerably.
After spending the majority of
the season having to contend
with allegations of infighting
and disrespect for the 51-year-old from the players he
inherited, he is now a man with
his reputation at an all-time
high.
Having secured the 22nd
league victory of his 31 matches
in charge, Grant's pre-match
claim that he now has the
respect of the dressing room
was evident.
Shaking hands with every
player in a blue shirt as they
walked off the pitch, the
Chelsea boss has proved to
owner Roman Abramovich that
he deserves to start his first full
season in charge come August.
Abramovich may have doubts
about Grant, although the
coach illustrated again
yesterday that he has the steel
and tactical acumen to turn
Chelsea into champions at
home and in Europe.
Newcastle could have been
ahead in a first half that left
Chelsea looking anything but a
team competing for the title
Mourinho won twice.
But, with the players clearly
finding inspiration difficult
after heroic fixtures with
Liverpool and United in their
last two outings, Grant and his
coaching staff earned their
money at half-time.
As well as instructing
Malouda and Nicolas Anelka to
play more centrally alongside
Didier Drogba, a passionate
verbal blasting from Grant
brought the best out of Chelsea
after the restart.
And when Michael Ballack
glanced Drogba's free-kick
beyond Steve Harper on the
hour, it was just reward for a
dominant opening to the second
period.
The domination continued.
When Malouda was put clear by
Frank Lampard, the
Frenchman applied the low
finish that put Newcastle out of
sight.
The same, however, can't be
said of Manchester United.
For the first time since 1990,
the leading teams in the top tier
of English football will head
into the final day level on
points. Roll on Sunday.
8:56am Tuesday 6th May 2008
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