22 April 2005	Friday	12 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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LONDON, April 21: Runaway Premier League leaders Chelsea were held 0-0 at home by champions Arsenal and Manchester United finished with nine men in a 1-0 defeat at Everton on Wednesday. Chelsea, hoping for a win to set up a chance of clinching their first league title in 50 years against Fulham on Saturday, deserved only a point from a pulsating, finely-balanced game at Stamford Bridge.

The draw hardly represented a major setback, though, for a convincing Chelsea side who moved on to 82 points, 11 ahead of Arsenal with five games to play.

Chelsea will become champions if they beat Fulham in the west London derby and Arsenal, whose manager Arsene Wenger has already conceded the title, are unable to defeat Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Monday.

Everton striker Duncan Ferguson headed Everton’s winner in the 55th minute and they took charge after a 72nd-minute red card for United’s Gary Neville, who kicked the ball at a section of the Goodison Park crowd.

United midfielder Paul Scholes was dismissed in stoppage time for a second booking as Alex Ferguson’s men stayed third on 67 points, four points adrift of Arsenal.

Everton’s first league win over United for 10 years cemented their hold on fourth place and a slot in the Champions League qualifying round by moving on to 57 points.

They stay three points and a game in hand ahead of Merseyside rivals Liverpool, who won 2-1 at Portsmouth.

The relegation battle became even tighter as bottom club Norwich City beat Newcastle United 2-1, Crystal Palace lost 1-0 Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion ground out a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur.

Norwich and Palace have 27 points apiece, Southampton are on 28 and West Brom are just a point outside the drop zone on 29.

The night’s showcase match was in west London, where Arsenal had the better first-half chances but Chelsea were stronger after the break as they continued their march to the title.

Arsenal winger Robert Pires hit the crossbar and missed a glaring close-range chance in the opening 10 minutes, while Chelsea striker Didier Drogba also twice came close.

Arsenal’s point on a night when Manchester United were beaten mean that Arsene Wenger’s side look closer to finishing runners-up, thereby claiming the other automatic place in the Champions League.—Reuters