Venables feels that Man U, not Chelsea will be Premier League champs

LONDON - Former football star and manager Terry Venables believes that Manchester United and not Chelsea have a better chance of winning this season’s Premier League title.

In an article for The Sun, he says that while in August, he had tipped Chelsea to retain the title, he now believes Manchester United will be crowned champions.

“After Chelsea’s blistering start to the season, I was convinced I had made the right choice. Five wins in five matches with 21 goals scored and just one conceded gave them an early-season lead at the top of the table and my selection looked cast-iron. But events in the last month or so have made me change my mind,” Venables said.

The Blues have not won in five league matches since Ray Wilkins was sacked from their coaching staff and they have slumped to fourth.

While all this was going on, United have moved to the top of the table, despite, it would seem, even starker problems of their own.

It is widely accepted that Alex Ferguson’s team have been way below their best so far. Their squad, like Chelsea’s, has suffered injuries to some key personnel. Then, there has been Wayne Rooney, whose well-documented personal problems spilled over into his professional life, affecting his fitness and form.

Yet, after all that, United are top of the table - even though history shows they are a team who do not really get going until after Christmas.

“The Blues will undoubtedly run them close, but I feel Carlo Ancelotti’s Double-winners will have to settle for being second best this time,” he concludes. (ANI)