AVRAM GRANT, who saw Liverpool finally wilt under pressure as Chelsea battled to the European Cup final in midweek, hopes his other great rivals will do the same over the next two games.
The Chelsea manager will be watching events at Old Trafford from afar today, desperate for the Premier League leaders Manchester United to shed points against West Ham.
The Israeli was in philosophical mood yesterday, perhaps aware deep down that the likelihood of United failing to beat both West Ham and Wigan Athletic in their final two games remains slim. "I don't care where United crack, as long as they drop points," said Grant. "I'm not convinced they will. I cannot be convinced. I can just hope that it will happen.
"But it's not easy for them. They fought all the time with Arsenal at the top and, when they beat them off, they must have thought everything was okay. Now, though, Chelsea have come from nowhere and are almost in the same position.
"It's a pressure. We like the challenge to chase, to chase, to chase. It's not easy because if you lose points you're out. But I've done it managing in Israel. We were champions having been eight points behind once."
Alex Ferguson was apparently too infuriated to speak at length to Grant after Chelsea's 2-1 victory over United last Saturday, and the Israeli will be hoping Ferguson is left just as enraged by his long-standing friend Alan Curbishley today. The repercussions of the West Ham manager's comments in a newspaper column - in which he stated it would be "a great injustice" were United not to claim the title - rumble on.
"It's wrong to say things like this because he's involved in the game against United," said Grant. "But I do not have any reason to doubt the integrity of him or his club.
"I believe in integrity in sport. All I know is that we want to win the title, especially given from where we came from. It was never in our hands. Not when four teams were ahead of us, then three, then two. But we've done our job so far."
Grant has spoken to the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who was absent from Stamford Bridge for the United and Liverpool fixtures, and continues to plan for a future at the club. A list of transfer targets is being drawn up for the summer, with the possibility of a league and European Cup double remaining.
"Do I look worried about my future?" he said. "No. If we win both competitions . . . well, there is a saying: 'With more food, you have more appetite'. I know what Chelsea need to do tomorrow, in two weeks' time and in two years from now.
"But, for the moment, all we must concentrate on is winning on Monday (at Newcastle).
"It will be a hard game, but I don't think it's easy for United to play under this pressure. It was in their hands. Now it's a different pressure. We'll see what happens."
