AVRAM GRANT has lost just two of his 30 Premier League matches in charge. The goals shipped to Liverpool on Wednesday night were the first conceded at Stamford Bridge under the Israeli in Chelsea's drive to the Champions League final. He remains, however, a man whose managerial future is uncertain.

Given how Grant struggles to receive the adulation his work has deserved on the King's Road - or from the club's owner, Roman Abramovich - it is a situation that makes Kevin Keegan, the Newcastle United manager, feel vulnerable'.

Keegan will be doing his best on Monday afternoon to help push the Premier League title towards Old Trafford. He is, though, appreciative of the job his Chelsea counterpart has done since taking over from Jose Mourinho.

The Chelsea faithful have struggled to be won over by the Grant way. Heroic successes over Manchester United seven days ago revived hopes of title glory, while a midweek victory over Liverpool has them heading for Moscow on May 21.

But there are still those out there, including former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri, that believe Grant will be sacked this summer if European domination is not claimed in Abramovich's homeland.

Keegan, who first came in contact with the ex-Israel coach during his days in charge of Manchester City, is amazed. "Avram's had a pretty rough ride," said the Newcastle manager.

"He's done a great job. He went in - and you've got to remember they'd played four or five games, not particularly well under Mourinho for whatever reasons - and yeah, lost his first game, but his record is incredible and you cannot deny that.

"People may say he's not doing a very good job there, but it makes the rest of us look very vulnerable if Avram Grant is in trouble."

Chelsea had won just three of their opening seven matches under Mourinho this season, so Grant has done well to recover from a defeat to Manchester United in his opening match in charge.

The Blues head to Newcastle unbeaten in 19 league outings, a run of form that has pushed them level on points with leaders United with two matches remaining.

If success arrives in the shape of the double, he will be a worthy shout to become the manager of the year. Keegan knows someone, though, not in contention.

"There are a lot of candidates this year of which, of course, I am not one," he said.

"If Alex Ferguson wins the title and the European Cup then he should be. If Avram Grant wins it, he should be.

"There are others, Martin O'Neill has done a great job at Aston Villa. If you're going to say it is on all things, money spent, where the club was and is now, then Mark Hughes should be.

You might think Gary Megson or Roy Hodgson should be if they keep Bolton or Fulham up - even Steve Coppell.

"I am probably the only one who can't win it!"

While he may not be in contention for the top-boss award, there is no disguising the turnaround Keegan has overseen at St James' Park since taking over in mid-January.

After a difficult start, he has since guided Newcastle through a seven-match unbeaten run. If he can extend that to eight against Chelsea, there is every chance Newcastle will have handed the Premier Legaue title to Old Trafford again.

Keegan, who dismissed a suggestion that he was heading to France over his free weekend to watch St Etienne striker Bafetimbi Gomis, said: "We are not thinking about our holidays and we are not thinking let's just get this season over with and then start thinking about next year, we are thinking about how can we test ourselves in the best way possible against this team.

"If we play to our very best and they do it will probably be a great game and they will beat us. They are a better team than us, the league tells you that. But if we play to our best and they feel, wow, this is another big game after two big games against Liverpool and Manchester United' then who knows?"