Avram Grant insisted last night that Chelsea can complete a remarkable comeback in the closest title race in Premier League history by taking Manchester United’s crown on Sunday. It is an extraordinary prospect that flew in the face of Kevin Keegan’s complaints that the English championship is in danger of becoming the most boring league in the world. The Newcastle United manager also admitted that a Champions League place would be beyond his club’s reach in his time on Tyneside.

Second-half goals from Michael Ballack and Florent Malouda gave Chelsea a 2-0 win over Newcastle at St James’ Park that puts them level on points again with United at the top of the table with one match remaining, although United’s vastly superior goal difference means that a win against Wigan Athletic will be enough for the champions to retain their title.

Chelsea must beat Bolton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge and hope that United get stuck in the mud at the JJB Stadium, but the Chelsea first-team coach has not given up hope of achieving an incredible upset on the first occasion since 1968 that two teams have entered the final day chasing a championship while locked on the same number of points.

Having expressed concern about Alan Curbishley’s relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson before West Ham United’s 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday, Grant is not worried about the ties of Steve Bruce, the Wigan manager, to a club with whom he won three Premier League titles as a player.

“One thing I like about England is that you never know what will happen here, unlike in other countries, and all the teams fight until the end,” Grant said. “I believe in this tradition of English football. We need to win first, but it won’t be easy for them to beat Wigan. I don’t believe that Bruce will give the game to United.”

Grant believes that Chelsea will have overachieved irrespective of the outcome on what for once truly deserves to be billed as Super Sunday and, given the state of the club when he succeeded José Mourinho last September, it is difficult to argue with him. “We’re in our best position since we started,” he said. “Our target from Day 1 was to be in the final of the Champions League and we’ve done more than we expected. In this season after a bad start we gave them a battle and if United take the league on goal difference, then I believe you must respect this team more than before. Sometimes there are teams like United last year that take the championship without a battle, but it’s not finished yet. We didn’t play good today, but the players are not robots.”

John Terry, the Chelsea captain, said: “If we pick up three points at home to Bolton, we have a very good chance. All we can do is our job and I thought we did a professional job [today].”

Keegan’s concerns are based on the dominance of the so-called big four, as he conceded that his side cannot hope to qualify for the Champions League during his time at the club, while calling on Mike Ashley, the owner, to back him in the transfer market. “This league is in danger of becoming the most boring great league in the world,” Keegan said. “This season’s top four will be the same next season. All I can say is that we’ll be going for fifth. If I get the backing of the chairman, and I’ve no proof yet that I have, I’ll try and win the second division of the Premiership. This club will never be a Champions League club in my time.”

For all his admiration for Chelsea, Keegan believes that United will take the title. “Chelsea would be worthy champions definitely, but I don’t think they will be,” he said. “I can’t see United going to Wigan and losing.”

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