bwin Sportsblog - Football - Super Sunday in store as title race hots up

Manchester City finally suffered their first defeat of the Premier League campaign on Monday as Chelsea came from a goal down to beat the Citizens 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.

 

Mario Balotelli’s early strike looked to have set City on their way to another away win, but a Raul Meireles equaliser and a Frank Lampard penalty gave the Blues a vital success which keeps them in the title picture.

 

City, who had left-back Gael Clichy sent off in west London, now lead rivals Manchester United by just two points after braces for Nani and Wayne Rooney gave the champions a 4-1 win over Wolves at Old Trafford.

 

United have a great opportunity to put the pressure on their ‘noisy neighbours’ on Sunday as they could go top with victory at QPR ahead of City’s potentially explosive clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium a couple of hours later.

 

The Gunners come into the match on the back of a 1-0 home triumph over Everton and a priceless win in the north-west would see them move to within six points of City and blow the title race wide open.

 

Chelsea, who travel to Wigan this weekend, sit seven points behind the leaders in third, ahead of fourth-placed Tottenham on goal difference.

 

Spurs do have a game in hand on all their rivals but their 11-match unbeaten run came to an end last time out as they fell to a controversial defeat at Stoke.

 

Harry Redknapp’s men will hope to bounce back by beating Sunderland – who scored two late goals to beat Blackburn 2-1 in Martin O’Neill’s first game in charge – at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

 

Meanwhile, sixth-placed Liverpool will look to capitalise on any slip-ups by those above them with victory at Aston Villa, having edged to a 1-0 success over QPR last weekend.