Chelsea ease towards title

Saturday, 25, Mar 2006 05:22

Chelsea have taken another step towards the Premiership title with a 2-0 win over Manchester City but there was controversy at Stamford Bridge over Didier Drogba's apparently handled goal and Sylvain Distin's red card.

Drogba was awarded the man-of-the-match award for his double goalscoring display, but he will again get the headlines for the wrong reasons after replays showed he clearly handled the ball before his second goal.

The Ivory Coast hitman put the Blues 1-0 up with 29 minutes gone after good work by Eidur Gudjohnsen and doubled the home side's lead three minutes later from close range after a goalmouth scramble.

But Drogba appeared to have used his arm in the build-up to the goal and the City players were left aghast at Rob Styles' decision to allow it to stand.

City captain Distin took his protests too far, however, picking up a booking for his complaints immediately after the goal and earning a second yellow for refusing to give the ball to Styles as the teams left the pitch at half-time.

The visitors were missing many first-team regulars following their exertions in the FA Cup during the week and manager Stuart Pearce must have feared the worst from the second half with a man down.

But a combination of resolute play from the visitors and profligacy in front of goal from Chelsea meant there were no further goals, as Shaun Wright-Phillips went closest to adding to the scoreline.