AWARDS HOST NOTES WIGAN'S RESOLVE
Jeff Stelling, Sky Sports presenter and host of the Chelsea Player of the Year Awards, believes Wigan could be a tough test for Manchester United on Sunday.
The anchorman of Gillette's Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports News believes Chelsea will 'blow Bolton away' while Wigan will battle for points as they host Manchester United on the final day of the season.
'It's two massive games and a fantastic end to the season,' said Stelling.
'They [Wigan] are not as bad as everybody is making out, they are unbeaten in their last seven home games.
'They have some good players but United have got a lot of quality.
'Even if Rooney doesn't play they have a lot of goals in them.
'I think that will be close, it will be a very tense afternoon.
'Wigan have done great under Steve Bruce, they have done fantastically.
'But as far as Chelsea are concerned, in the last three or four games they have been better than they have all season, the second half against Newcastle was absolutely fantastic.
'So I think Chelsea will blow Bolton away, but the problem is at the other end with Wigan.
'The down side from Chelsea's point of view is that they're safe now, if Wigan had needed something from that game it would have been such a great help, but they don't.
'But Manchester are not invincible away from home so anything can happen,' he added.
As Stelling ponders the end of the title race, he cannot help but look ahead to the Champions League Final, when the two title contenders will battle it out once again for the biggest prize in Europe.
'It's going to be another massive game. There is so little between the teams.
'Psychologically Chelsea have the advantage after beating Manchester United at home.
'United had left a few players out on that occasion admittedly but there is a big incentive to win it with Chelsea because it is in Moscow and obviously Roman Abramovich, so they will want to win it for him, there's no doubt about that.
'But they will also want to win it because it is the Champions League and it will be their first Champions League triumph, so I just really think it is too close to call.
'I think there will be one goal in it and it will probably finish 1-0 either way, but I wouldn't like to guess who is going to get that goal.
'What will give Chelsea the edge is that they are playing really well at the moment, whereas United aren't necessarily playing that well at the moment.
'They struggled to beat Barcelona and Barcelona have just seen Frank Rijkaard sacked, they are not the team that they were.
'But Chelsea - terrific against United, terrific against Liverpool, terrific against Newcastle, they are on fantastic form at the moment. If they carry that over to the Champions League Final you would probably make them slight favourites,' explained Stelling.
As both teams include players who could single handedly turn a game around, Stelling guesses some of the starting the line-up and tries to decipher strengths and weaknesses between the two teams.
'From United's point of view they have to deal with Drogba, because he is a match winner.
'He's a phenomenal player, he loves the big occasion, if you look at his record in cup finals it's absolutely fabulous. So United will be looking at him big time.
'From a Chelsea perspective you have to watch Ronaldo, people say he is a flat-track bully and that he doesn't do it in the big games, but Chelsea won't want him to show that is wrong in Moscow and turn it on in Moscow, so he's certainly one to watch.
'There are so many quality players it is hard to see weaknesses, but Chelsea might just have the edge with the goalkeepers.
'Petr Cech is obviously phenomenal, as Edwin van der Sar has been in his career, but he is in the twilight of his career now, and maybe that might be significant in the end.'
Finally, the sports pundit had one last thing to say as he looked ahead towards the Blues' first Champions League Final.
'I have a small inkling that Chelsea might win it.
'I suspect United might just snatch the title but I think Chelsea could take their revenge but winning the Champions League.'
Bookmakers Paddy Power have Chelsea odds on favourite to win Sunday's clash with Bolton at 1/7.



