Weather and Manchester United Help Chelsea FC Stay Top
Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney
Coming in to the second day of Barclay’s Premier League matchday 26, Chelsea were at the top of the table but by a very precarious margin of only two points. Second placed Arsenal and third placed Manchester City both had the chance to go top depending on the others results, Arsenal by one point with a win, and City on goal difference. Luckily for the Blues, they were still top of the table at the end of the day through a series of events that were unforeseen even as of just yesterday.
Sunderland FC was poised to enter the lion’s den at the Etihad and try to hold back a City team that hasn’t scored in 180 minutes in the Premier League and was primed for a goal explosion. The Black Cats were also looking to try and escape the drop zone by going for all three points but alas it was not meant to be. Torrential rains and winds in Northern England were so bad that they convinced Premier League officials to postpone both the Sunderland-City and Everton-Crystal Palace matches. The weather was so bad that it was announced during United’s visit to Arsenal that all trains and roads from London to Manchester were closed for the night.
It seems that both goals at the Emirates were closed for the night as both sides struggled to create many chances. When the chances did present themselves it was either poor finishing or fine saves from David De Gea and Wojciech Szczęsny that denied them. The match was tense all throughout with neither United or Arsenal showing much industry and both seemed to settle for the draw as time winded down. This was a very winnable fixture for Arsenal but they had not recovered from the meltdown they experienced at Anfield on Saturday. A draw was not the optimal result for Chelsea fans but given the alternative of a decisive momentum building victory for the Gunners, they will take what they can get.
So in short, City will have a week to rest for the upcoming FA Cup clash, Arsenal looked as toothless in attack as ever, and Chelsea end the day at the top of the table rather than third as most expected. Might be time for Chelsea supporters to say a little prayer of thanks to United and the rain clouds currently pummeling England for their good fortune.
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