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Chelsea win but Rooney spoils the party

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-04-18 09:29

LONDON - Chelsea swaggered to a 3-0 victory over 10-man Everton on Monday but were denied the chance to celebrate a second consecutive Premier League title by Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

Chelsea now only need one point from their remaining three league games to pop the champagne, having restored a nine-point lead at the top with three games left to play.

Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba scored one and made another for Frank Lampard before Michael Essien thundered home Chelsea's third at Stamford Bridge. Lee Carsley was dismissed for Everton two minutes after the re-start with Chelsea 1-0 up.

Jose Mourinho's men had known before kickoff the title would not be theirs on the day after Rooney's brace had earlier given United a 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur.

Still firmly on course for the title, Chelsea have 88 points from 35 games, with United lying second on 79 points and Liverpool third on 73.

With an FA Cup semi-final looming against Liverpool on Saturday, Chelsea's next chance of winning the league will be a much-awaited showdown against United at Stamford Bridge on April 29.

Down at the other end of the table, Portsmouth's fine run ended on Monday with a 2-1 defeat at Charlton Athletic that will revive fears of relegation.

Middlesbrough beat West Ham United 2-0, Newcastle United came from behind to beat relegated Sunderland 4-1 in the northeast derby and relegation strugglers West Bromwich Albion were facing Bolton Wanderers in the day's late kickoff.

MOURINHO'S OPTIMISM

Manchester United's victory failed to dent Mourinho's optimism about the title.

"It is not easy for us to lose the three matches, it is not easy for Manchester United to win the three matches and it is not easy for them to turn around the goal difference (of 12).

"But football is football, you never know," he told Sky Sports. "We need a minimum of one point to celebrate."