Is this all looking a little familiar?

Events over the weekend in Manchester and Middlesbrough have moved Chelsea three points behind league leaders Man United with five games to go.

Rewind a year to the comparative stage in the title race and with five rounds of fixtures left, the gap between us was also a mere three points.

Approaching fast was a fixture between the two main challengers at Stamford Bridge, last year the penultimate game rather than the third from last as it is this season.

Just to complicate matters, both teams were immersed in Champions League campaigns that would take them to the semi-finals (the FA Cup semis were already out the way) and Man U lost first choice central defender Nemanja Vidic to injury on the last day of March, not to return until May. This year the Serb came off on first day of April with a few weeks out predicted.

Man United dropped five points in the four league fixtures without him last year. Now our rivals await news of a problem for Rio Ferdinand suffered yesterday.

Of course Chelsea, not without injuries of our own 12 months ago - Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Robben, Shevchenko and Ballack among those affected - eventually fell short in our pursuit of the team from Old Trafford - and the equivalent of the next game was a major blow.

In their fifth-to-last match Man U drew at home to Middlesbrough - Gareth Southgate's side a consistent thorn in their side - but a day later and with the chance to breathe down red and white-collared necks, we failed to score at Newcastle and came away with only a point.

Had three points been taken that day - and a goal never looked on the cards - who knows how the season would have ended - but the trophy never really felt within our grasp again.

The next match we lost more points at home to Bolton as Man U were winning at Everton, opening the gap to five before the fat lady sung as we drew at the Emirates.

Of the five opponents played to finish last season, four are the same names this time round - giving ample opportunity to make amends for slip-ups back then. And it is Man U rather than Chelsea who 12 months on have an Arsenal hurdle to clear in the home straight.


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If selected tomorrow against Fenerbahçe, Salomon Kalou will make his 100th Chelsea appearance.

The 22-year-old's goal at Eastlands on Saturday, a reassuringly cool-headed finish after the problems his side had with killing-off games in the previous few days, was his 20th in all competitions since joining in summer 2006; his 14th in the league.

Compensating for how frequently he's been a substitute (46 of his 99 games so far), his league goals have come at a rate of one every third set of 90 minutes played - by most people's standards a good return for a developing forward player who operates much of the time out wide.

As After The Whistle is in the mood to make comparisons with Man United this week, looking at their own 22-year-old striker - Wayne Rooney - it may surprise some that Kalou has played a few more league minutes this season, 108 more to be precise.

Rooney's goal yesterday gives him 11 this season to Kalou's 7 with comparable assists.


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One happy face up at the City of Manchester Stadium after our victory was former Chelsea man Graham Stuart, there working for the club's official radio partner Real Radio London, who carry full commentary of every game on DAB.

Our ex-midfielder told After The Whistle the timing of the own-goal by his former Everton team-mate Richard Dunne was exactly what the doctor ordered to restore any wavering Chelsea confidence.

'At the end of the season, with tired legs and a lot still to play for, you hope for an early break,' Stuart said.

'Big Dunny had to make some kind of challenge to it and unfortunately for him he turned it into his own net, but it was the ideal start for Chelsea.

'The important thing is to get that second goal. You saw an example today. We had chances to get another one but all of a sudden, through not getting it, Manchester City slowly got back into the game and created one or two chances. If they go in, it becomes a different game.

'That's why I give credit to Chelsea today. They came out for the second half, City got their tempo up for the first five minutes, but after that Chelsea totally dominated and got that all-important second goal. Psychologically it destroys teams: they know the likelihood of Chelsea conceding more than two is slim at best.'

'Anelka had three one-on-one situations and you would expect him to have scored at least one of them,' Stuart continued, 'but I think his overall play was brilliant. He gets out in the channels, he's creating chances for teammates as well as himself. He's a threat. He's got good skill, and I'm a big fan of his. I think he's made a big difference to Chelsea's season.'

'You saw at the end the players and the away supporters connecting again here. That togetherness has always been vital, no matter what club, but especially at Chelsea where expectation level is really high.

'Regarding the Fenerbahçe game, you only have to look at the record Chelsea have at Stamford Bridge. I don't see it being a problem - Chelsea have created a problem for themselves, rather than there being a problem overcoming Fenerbahçe generally.

'The crowd will play their part as they always do. It will be a great atmosphere down at the Bridge and the fans will be very vocal. And they'll drive the team to victory.'


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A more neutral voice in the press box was John Murray's, fresh from commentating for BBC Radio. He also favours us for tomorrow's European game but first spoke to After The Whistle about the Premier League title race in light of the win he had just watched in the north-west.

'I think it's possible for either Manchester United or Chelsea to win every league game they've got left, but it's unlikely. I think Arsène Wenger was right on Friday when he said all the top three sides will drop points before the end of the season.

'I don't think the title race will be over by the time United come to Stamford Bridge and by and large, the games that Chelsea have left are - I don't want to use the word easier, but more straightforward than the games Manchester United have left.

'Then again, you can talk about fixtures till the cows come home and it very often doesn't work out that way! So, like most people would, I'd say Manchester United have a 70 per cent chance of winning the title, and Chelsea 30 per cent.

'My greatest worry for Chelsea on Tuesday is that everyone I talk to seems to think Chelsea are going to be able to churn out a 3-0, 4-0 win. Against that, Turkish sides generally, and Fenerbahçe more so, have poor records away from home in Europe.

'They did score twice in Seville and we saw the other night what they are capable of, but we also saw what Chelsea are capable of. So I would be one of those who thinks Chelsea will go through. But it might be a close one.'


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Before we depart to ready ourselves for a big night at the Bridge tomorrow, After The Whistle can't go without commending the comprehensive in-stadium video coverage on offer for the match at Man City.

This was unfortunately denied most supporters due to an upgrade to the big screens ahead of the 2008 Uefa Cup Final (the 2009 Final will be in Fenerbahçe's stadium, making it two such venues in a week for Chelsea).

Those fortunate to have a view of a small screen around the stadium were not only treated to a game of computer solitaire during a lengthy injury break in the game, we were also switched away from the football for the second lap of the Grand National - unfortunately far too late to see our sweepstake hope fall hopelessly by the wayside.

Pictures did return in time to enjoy the splendour of Sala's strike in slow-mo replay.

afterthewhistle@chelseafc.com