Title contenders hammer opponents in Champions League

With nine matches to go - Chelsea have a game in hand - it is now clear that the championship race is between three teams.

Manchester United lead Chelsea and Arsenal by two points as the fight for the title intensifies. All three are still in the Champions League and Chelsea also have an FA Cup semi-final to look forward to.

Arsenal and United have progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals in style.

The Gunners hit five past Porto and the Red Devils thrashed Milan 4-0. Once again, United striker Wayne Rooney showed why he is widely regarded as the best player around at present.

Chelsea host Inter at Stamford Bridge in next week's second leg. Having knocked out Stoke, the Blues will meet Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley.

United take on Fulham at Old Trafford tomorrow. They have a score to settle after a 3-0 defeat to the Londoners in mid-December.

Paul Scholes's 100th league goal handed United the three points in a hard-fought match at Wolves last week. Fulham are still in with a chance of reaching the last four in the FA Cup after a home draw with Tottenham in their quarter-final.

The Cottagers made a clean sweep of the monthly awards with Roy Hodgson named as top Premier League manager and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer as best player.

Chelsea cross swords with troubled West Ham in another clash between two London sides. In the six derbies they played this season, the Blues only dropped one point in a draw against West Ham away 1-1.

Arsenal are back in the title race despite a growing injury list. The Gunners travel to Humberside to play Hull at the KC Stadium today.

Jack Wilshere, on loan at Bolton, has become the youngest scorer in the top flight at the age of 18 years and 65 days, since 17-year-old Federico Macheda netted for Manchester United's in April last year.

The Tigers' 5-1 rout at Everton pushed them back into the bottom three of the classification.

In the early kick-off today, Tottenham entertain Blackburn at White Hart Lane. Spurs are undefeated in their last nine league and cup matches and have moved back to fourth place.

Rovers have not won on their travels in 10 league and cup matches. Their last win came at one of Sam Allardyce's former clubs, 2-0 at Bolton.

Liverpool players looked dazed in the 0-1 upset to Wigan this week.

Rafa Benitez's men now face an uphill struggle to claim fourth place. On Monday, they face Portsmouth at home.

Tevez boost

Manchester City are also among the contenders for a Champions League berth. The Citizens, who have two games in hand, play Sunderland away tomorrow. The return of Carlos Tevez has revitalised Manchester City who won all their matches in their last four calls to Sunderland's stadium: 3-0, 2-1, 2-1, 3-0.

A cracker of a match is the clash between Birmingham and Everton at St Andrews, even if the Brummies have lost some of their sparkle lately.

Birmingham are unbeaten at home in their last 11 league and cup outings.

Aston Villa are also in contention for the coveted fourth place. This afternoon, they clash with Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.

In their home Premier League match against the Villans last season, the Potters held the upperhand after winning 3-2. Villa's last top-flight victory at Stoke goes back to 1984-85, 3-1.

Wolves are still kicking themselves after missing a golden opportunity to score a last-minute equaliser against Manchester United last week. Today, Mick McCarthy's men meet fellow relegation strugglers Burnley at Turf Moor.

The two sides will surely remember how they dominated the limelight back in the 1960s. Today, they are looking over their shoulders and it will not be a surprise if one of these two teams, or both, return to the Championship after just one season among the elite.