Chelsea to pile on the pressure

CHELSEA TO PILE ON THE PRESSURE <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />Is this really the beginning of the end for Sir Alex Ferguson? Probably is the answer, and life isn't going to get any easier on Sunday afternoon when Chelsea are in town for the live Sky Sports match. In midweek United were beaten 1-0 by Lille. Ferguson complained afterwards about the physical nature of the opposition and the state of the pitch. Those may be valid factors but even still a decent Man Utd side would not have lost that game. Such is the doom and gloom surrounding Old Trafford, the bookmakers have been opening up all types of markets. William Hill are offering odds on when Man U will win their next game, quoting 66/1 they to fail to win any of their next six matches, while 21/10 is the price that their next victory comes against Chelsea this weekend. Another popular market at present is when will Sir Alex Ferguson leave the club. Following the defeat on Wednesday, bet365 cut the managers odds from 7/2 to 6/4 to depart Old Trafford before the end of the season. Spokesman for the online firm, Steve Freeth commented that a mauling from Chelsea on Sunday and Fergie could be feeling the heat. If there was one club Sir Alex Ferguson would no doubt wish to avoid at this moment it is Chelsea. Long before Roman Abromavich appeared on the scene, the Blues have enjoyed many a successful trip up north, losing just once in the past ten years. Regardless of past history, there surely can be only one team worth backing at Old Trafford. Chelsea may have lost their first game of the season against Real Betis, but are by no means a club with problems. Far from it in fact. Jose Mourihno will no doubt make a few changes, and send his troops out fully motivated to add more misery to the Old Trafford area. Another factor to consider is Chelsea have had an extra 24 hours to recover from their midweek Champions League excersion, and so despite a trip up the M6 should be the fresher team. It also hardly helps Man Utd that their European game was played on a heavy pitch at the Stade Francais, which will have sapped the energy from many of the players. Most firms offer 5/4 on an away win, apart from Stan James who quote an industry best 11/8 for Chelsea to make it eleven victories from twelve in the Premiership. The advice is to snaffle those odds before Stan falls into line with the others.