Ballack strikes double for Chelsea

A controversial late Michael Ballack penalty moved Chelsea level on points with Manchester United following a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge.

The German nervelessly despatched an 86th-minute spot-kick after the assistant referee flagged for a handball by Michael Carrick. So often a maligned figure for Chelsea, Ballack supplied both goals in a pulsating encounter, heading the home side in front late in the first half.
Wayne Rooney equalised after a blunder by Ricardo Carvalho but was later taken off injured.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Darren Fletcher both had potential equalisers cleared off the line in a frantic climax to the game.

Having trailed the champions by eight points, Chelsea now join them on 81 points with two matches to go. However, a goal difference advantage of 16 means that United will retain their title with wins over West Ham and Wigan. However, with no wins out of three in a traumatic week, that is far from a foregone conclusion. Life has been no less difficult for Chelsea, whose key midfielder Frank Lampard sat out the game following the death of his mother. The players paid tribute after the opening goal, before Ballack stepped effortlessly into Lampard's penalty-taking shoes to drill home the winner.

Sir Alex Ferguson complained on Friday that United were victims of a fixture list that saw the match sandwiched between two games against Barcelona - all within six days.