Chelsea blow chance

Grant: Sour times

Emile Heskey put a massive dent in Chelsea’s title ambitions on Monday night with an injury-time equaliser that stunned Stamford Bridge and beleaguered boss Avram Grant.

The Blues were sitting pretty at 1-0 after a Michael Essien strike on 54 minutes and looked set to close the gap on leaders Manchester United to three points.

Chelsea only have themselves to blame for not killing off the game, Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland was inspired, saving from Salomon Kalou and Nicolas Anelka. Captain John Terry also struck the bar in a must win game for the Blues.

Peter Cech made his return for Chelsea sporting a fetching chin-strap in addition to his regular protective head gear.

Cech made a fine save with minutes to spare from Antone Sibierski, the warning sign was not heeded and Heskey hit the hammer blow minutes later with his injury time volley.

At full-time a chorus of boos rang around Stamford Bridge, much of the vitriol was directed toward Avram Grant who cut a sombre figure making his way down the tunnel.

Grant is not the most popular man at Stamford Bridge at present despite leading Chelsea to the Champions League semi-finals and until the Wigan game, maintaining the pressure on Manchester United while much-fancied Arsenal drifted off the pace.

Grant’s decision to rest Didier Drogba, Joe Cole and Ricardo Carvalho with Thursday’s Everton clash in mind will come back to haunt him.

The Israeli now have to hope United slip up in their remaining fixtures and Chelsea can turn over Sir Alex Ferguson’s men at Stamford Bridge in order to pip them to his title and save his job.

That, or win the Champions League in Roman Abramovich’s beloved Moscow.

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