'This is where it starts to matter, where every game counts' - Martin Lipton previews a crucial weekend in the title race

By Martin Lipton in Mirror Football Blog

Published 11:56 19/03/10

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A week off for United and Arsenal. A week of woe for Chelsea.

And with a potentially titanic and pivotal weekend to come, the shape of the title race could take a dramatic and decisive shift.

Arsene Wenger and his players know this is their opportunity to really turn up the heat.

Beat West Ham at The Emirates - something they should accomplish with the minimum of fuss - and the pressure will really be turned up on their rivals.

The three-point haul that is within the Gunners' grasp would take Arsenal back to the summit for the first time since they briefly held top spot in January, adding to the necessity for United and Chelsea to respond 24 hours later.

And with Liverpool, who have their own desperate need of a victory, travelling to Old Trafford for the match of the weekend before Chelsea have to show their morale has not been shattered at Blackburn, it would then be far from beyond the bounds of possibility to see Arsene Wenger's men still at the pinnacle of the table on Monday morning.

Of course, the history of this remarkably topsy-turvy campaign suggests anything is possible.

After all, having somehow fought their way back into the title race through December and into January, the Gunners then contrived to drop four points against Everton and Villa - how different things would look, despite being played off the park by both Fergie's men and Chelsea, had they picked up those four points.

Yet Arsenal know now that they have a terrific chance to steal the title away from their rivals, that by winning games they should expect to win, they can pull off one of the great acts of footballing larceny.

At the end of the day, in the final analysis, what matters is how many points you accrue, not where you pick them up, and if Chelsea and United cut their own throats, it will not be Arsenal's fault.

Assuming a home win at The Emirates tomorrow - and Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti doubtless will, while hoping to be proved wrong - then both United and Chelsea have to show their mettle.

Arguably - no make that definitely - the greater scrutiny will fall on Ancelotti's Blues.

Hot on the heels of their Champions League debacle at the hands of Jose Mourinho, the last thing they needed was a trip to a ground where they will be tested in body as well as mind.

Sam Allardyce would love to do Fergie a favour by taking a point or more and there is no doubting Blackburn will test Chelsea out physically, throwing every set-piece into the box where Christopher Samba's presence can cause real problems.

Every Chelsea fan will remind you that Ewood Park was the place where, effectively, the first Mourinho title was won, on a night where Petr Cech saved a crucial penalty, Arjen Robben suffered a broken foot but the sheer spirit and resolve of the Blues carried them to a famous victory, celebrated by a posse of bare-chested players in front of the travelling supporters.

After what happened against Inter, it will require the same determination on Sunday, especially if the other results have not gone their way, piling on the pressure for Chelsea to show they have the courage to respond in kind.

Certainly the mood of Ancelotti's players may be conditioned by events at Old Trafford.

Should United confirm the current form line, avenging both their defeat at Anfield earlier this season and last term's embarrassing 4-1 home reverse, Chelsea's task will seem all the greater.

It would also make Liverpool's chances of the top four finish that had been assumed as a certainty at the start of the season even more perilous, especially if Spurs - facing an ordeal by fire, brimstone and Rory Delap at Stoke - Manchester City and Aston Villa win their games.

The remaining fixtures are kind to Rafa Benitez' side but should they lose at Old Trafford, then to get to the 70-point mark which is likely to be required for fourth would require them to win six of their last seven games, picking up a draw in the other match. That will take some doing, especially with the Europa League meaning at least two more matches - and potentially as many as six - to shoehorn in by the end of the domestic season.

This is where it starts to matter, where every game counts, where every point has extra significance. This is where the fun starts.

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