Chelsea opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premiership
with a 3-1 win at Norwich.
But it required two goals in seven second-half minutes from Mateja Kezman and
Ricardo Carvalho to silence relegation-haunted Norwich after Leon McKenzie had
dared to threaten an upset.
McKenzie had cancelled out Joe Cole's searing opener with a header from Darren
Huckerby's cross.
In the end Chelsea merely underlined their claim that the Premiership crown is
theirs for the taking.
Manchester United were supposed to pile the pressure on Chelsea before kick
off with a win at Crystal Palace and so close the gap at the top to three points
but instead they were held to a goalless draw at Selhurst Park.
Chelsea had the chance to show United how it should be done when up against a
side battling for their Premiership lives.
They controlled the opening 45 minutes with an air of authority that could be
traced in part to their Carling Cup final triumph last week.
With that first piece of silverware in the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet, the
furore surrounding their FA Cup defeat at Newcastle and subsequent Champions
League loss against Barcelona had subsided.
The focus was now back on lifting the trophy craved the most, yet despite
their first-half superiority, they only had the one goal to show for their
concerted dominance, albeit a superlative individual strike from Cole.
They had earlier threatened in the eighth minute, scything open the Canaries
defence with a move that culminated in Frank Lampard playing in Damien Duff into
space.
After striding confidently into the area, winger Duff lifted his shot over an
advancing Robert Green, only for Jason Shackell - at 21 and starting only his
second league game - to head off the line.
With Chelsea beginning to move through the gears, Lampard was then inches over
the bar with a rising drive from just outside the area moments later.
Realising their team were up against it, there then came a cry of 'come on,
let's be 'aving you' from the City fans, a light-hearted reference to director
Delia Smith's half-time outburst during Monday's defeat to Manchester City.
As a further rallying cry of 'Delia's barmy army' echoed around the ground,
Chelsea - and Cole in particular - silenced the City fans in the 22nd minute.
The goal was all of Cole's own making as he rode tackles from Shackell and
captain Craig Fleming before unleashing a fierce drive beyond Green into the top
left-hand corner for his fifth goal of the season.
That prompted a chant from the Chelsea fans in Smith's direction of 'Going
down with a souffle' and the visitors could have backed up their words with a
second in the 28th minute.
Duff was the provider, darting into the area past Marc Edworthy and floating
in a cross to the unmarked Cole, but from 14 yards he skied his right-foot
volley over the bar.
There were a number of minor skirmishes to end the first period before Chelsea
then squandered what could have been costly opportunities early in the second.
Didier Drogba first headed wide a Lampard free-kick and the drove an angled
shot into the legs of Green after being played in by Cole, allowing Norwich a
degree of confidence.
They took full advantage in the 64th minute with McKenzie heading home a
superb left-wing cross from Darren Huckerby, so ending Petr Cech's league
shut-out at 1025 minutes.
But Chelsea showed they are Premiership champions-in-waiting, countering eight
minutes later with Kezman tapping in two minutes after his arrival as a
substitute, ending a move that included Glen Johnson, Cole, another substitute
in Eidur Gudjohnsen and Lampard.
Shortly after that, it was all over with Ricardo Carvalho heading home his
first goal for the club in meeting an inswinging Lampard corner, so surely
silencing Ferguson.
<
Teams
Norwich Green, Edworthy, Fleming, Shackell, Drury,
Stuart (McVeigh 75), Holt, Francis, Huckerby,
McKenzie (Henderson 90), Ashton.
Subs Not Used: Safri, Charlton, Ward.
Booked: Drury.
Goals: McKenzie 64.
Chelsea Cech, Johnson, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry,
Paulo Ferreira, Makelele, Lampard, Tiago (Kezman 67), Cole,
Drogba (Gudjohnsen 67), Duff (Jarosik 73).
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Huth.
Booked: Cole, Makelele.
Goals: Cole 22, Kezman 71, Ricardo Carvalho 79.
Att: 24,506
Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).
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