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COBHAM, England (AP) - If Chelsea fails to overtake Manchester United for the Premier League title on Sunday, Avram Grant will know why.
And it has nothing to do with the manager's lack of topflight experience, the Blues' far inferior goal difference or Chelsea's much-cited lack of attacking play.
Grant, whose team must beat visiting Bolton on Sunday and hope that defending champion United slips up at Wigan, is still dwelling on an eight-month-old refereeing decision.
Chelsea played at United in September just four days after Grant succeeded Jose Mourinho as manager. After looking defensively solid, midfielder John Obi Mikel was sent off for a dangerous tackle and Chelsea lost 2-0.
Grant was unhappy at the decision at the time and, which Chelsea now trailing United only on goal difference, thinks it could end up costing his team the title.
"I don't want to come back to this, but I think what the referee did in this game, I never saw in my life," Grant said Friday. "And I see sometimes bad decisions."
Chelsea was holding United 0-0 in the 32nd minute at Old Trafford when Mikel lunged to regain control of the ball and caught defender Patrice Evra on the ankle. Mike Dean sent off Mikel to protests from his teammates.
Even with decisions going against his team, Grant feels the match could have been different had he had longer to prepare his side.
"This was one of my worst moments, if I can say that about Old Trafford," he said. "To come to a game in which I didn't have time to influence the team. I was in charge, but I was an observer of the team."
Grant's opinion looks justified after Chelsea beat United 2-1 in last month's reverse fixture, a result that ensured the title race would go to the wire.
But many think it's the lack of goals that could end up costing Grant his job.
United's goal difference is 17 greater than Chelsea's, meaning the Red Devils would win the title with even a narrow 1-0 win at Wigan.
Chelsea has scored 12 goals fewer than United at home, where fans have occasionally jeered their team for a lack of adventure. And club owner Roman Abramovich is rumored to be searching for a high-profile replacement, with Frank Rijkaard and Sven-Goran Eriksson the latest candidates touted by the British press, even after Grant guided Chelsea to its first Champions League final - also against Manchester United.
But Grant looked relaxed while he spoke at Chelsea's training ground and said he is happy with his achievements.
"Alex (Ferguson) said two or three months ago that this is the best Manchester United team since he was coach," Grant said. "If they take the championship, which I'm not sure, it will be on goal difference, so we have given them a good battle."
That is, of course, only if Chelsea manages to beat a tough Bolton side that wants a point to make absolutely sure of its place in the Premier League.
But Grant, who may be without key defender Ricardo Carvalho because of a back injury, acknowledged that it will be hard not to keep tabs on the score at Wigan. "My first year that I was in football, my old coach said to me, 'They pay you money to be worried,"' Grant said. "First, we have a game against Bolton - a very tough game. Second, of course, we will look at Wigan."
And it has nothing to do with the manager's lack of topflight experience, the Blues' far inferior goal difference or Chelsea's much-cited lack of attacking play.
Grant, whose team must beat visiting Bolton on Sunday and hope that defending champion United slips up at Wigan, is still dwelling on an eight-month-old refereeing decision.
Chelsea played at United in September just four days after Grant succeeded Jose Mourinho as manager. After looking defensively solid, midfielder John Obi Mikel was sent off for a dangerous tackle and Chelsea lost 2-0.
Grant was unhappy at the decision at the time and, which Chelsea now trailing United only on goal difference, thinks it could end up costing his team the title.
"I don't want to come back to this, but I think what the referee did in this game, I never saw in my life," Grant said Friday. "And I see sometimes bad decisions."
Chelsea was holding United 0-0 in the 32nd minute at Old Trafford when Mikel lunged to regain control of the ball and caught defender Patrice Evra on the ankle. Mike Dean sent off Mikel to protests from his teammates.
Even with decisions going against his team, Grant feels the match could have been different had he had longer to prepare his side.
"This was one of my worst moments, if I can say that about Old Trafford," he said. "To come to a game in which I didn't have time to influence the team. I was in charge, but I was an observer of the team."
Grant's opinion looks justified after Chelsea beat United 2-1 in last month's reverse fixture, a result that ensured the title race would go to the wire.
But many think it's the lack of goals that could end up costing Grant his job.
United's goal difference is 17 greater than Chelsea's, meaning the Red Devils would win the title with even a narrow 1-0 win at Wigan.
Chelsea has scored 12 goals fewer than United at home, where fans have occasionally jeered their team for a lack of adventure. And club owner Roman Abramovich is rumored to be searching for a high-profile replacement, with Frank Rijkaard and Sven-Goran Eriksson the latest candidates touted by the British press, even after Grant guided Chelsea to its first Champions League final - also against Manchester United.
But Grant looked relaxed while he spoke at Chelsea's training ground and said he is happy with his achievements.
"Alex (Ferguson) said two or three months ago that this is the best Manchester United team since he was coach," Grant said. "If they take the championship, which I'm not sure, it will be on goal difference, so we have given them a good battle."
That is, of course, only if Chelsea manages to beat a tough Bolton side that wants a point to make absolutely sure of its place in the Premier League.
But Grant, who may be without key defender Ricardo Carvalho because of a back injury, acknowledged that it will be hard not to keep tabs on the score at Wigan. "My first year that I was in football, my old coach said to me, 'They pay you money to be worried,"' Grant said. "First, we have a game against Bolton - a very tough game. Second, of course, we will look at Wigan."
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