High fives all round as Carvalho revives stuttering Chelsea

While a few Chelsea supporters were so bored they amused themselves on the computer game consoles that have been installed a stone's throw from the dugouts, the sense of excitement in Roman Abramovich's private box was almost tangible.

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Those who believe Jose Mourinho is facing the sack because the club's Russian owner demands a more entertaining, adventurous brand of football might want to think again after this.

It was a dreadful encounter between a stuttering Chelsea team and an exhausted Tottenham side who, only 39 hours earlier, had been playing in Seville.

But Abramovich was totally absorbed, watching much of the game through his fingers before high-fiving all his chums when Ricardo Carvalho's 30-yard shot made a mug out of Paul Robinson in the 52nd minute.

Even sporting director Frank Arnesen joined in, embracing his billionaire employer with a shake of the hand and a huge smile. Delighted for Jose? Of course they were.

Mourinho played it fairly cool. Would he be watching the United game at Portsmouth that would soon be live on television? "I might catch the second half," he said. "But I'll probably go for a walk with the family or do some shopping."

Believe that and you'll believe anything because here, at last, was the chance to see how United would react to seeing Chelsea move three points closer - how they would respond to the warmth of Mourinho's breath on the back of their necks.

Not terribly well as it turned out, the manner of United's defeat enough to have Mourinho rolling around on his living room floor in laughter. The mistake from Edwin van der Sar. The own goal from Rio Ferdinand.

Chelsea have been less than convincing in recent weeks, not least at Watford and then at home to Valencia in the Champions League, but they do not commit the kind of errors that enabled Portsmouth to cement their position in the top half of the table.

Not only was this Chelsea's eighth Premiership victory in succession, it was also their eighth without conceding a goal, which is a remarkable statistic when the pressure to keep up with United has been so intense.

Petr Cech has made all the difference. He was the difference on Saturday because few would have bet against Cech making the save that proved beyond England's No 1.

And it is only since Cech returned after suffering that nasty head injury at Reading that Chelsea have looked anything like the team who won consecutive titles.

Since Cech conceded two goals at Liverpool in what was his first game back, nobody has scored against him in the Premiership.

Abel Taarabt went closest on Saturday with a shot that took a nasty deflection, but Chelsea's goalkeeper possessed both the agility and the speed of thought to make what amounted to an incredible save.

A brief glance at the fixture list shows the advantage still has to be with United, and not just because they have a superior goal difference. That visit to Stamford Bridge on May 9 aside, they have much the easier run-in.

As Sir Alex Ferguson was only too quick to point out, United's next two games are at home to Sheffield United and Middlesbrough. But Chelsea have to travel to a resurgent West Ham and a Newcastle side gathering pace now that a number of their key players have returned from injury.

That re-scheduled encounter on May 9 could yet prove decisive but Chelsea will do well to keep the deficit to three points when they also have the Champions League and an FA Cup semi-final to consider.

Players like Carvalho give Mourinho hope, and if they can also deliver the 'perfect' performance at The Mestalla tomorrow night and squeeze past Valencia they will undoubtedly grow in confidence and gain momentum.

Mourinho adores Carvalho, so much so that he thinks of him as his son. "He's fantastic," said Mourinho. "Sometimes I'm unfair on him because he is my son. We have been together for six consecutive seasons. He was a kid and he is now a player who I demand a lot from. I am very demanding and I know his character and because of it, I like to put some pressure on him.

"I think the world of football can be unfair with this type of player. The world of football goes for the big names and forgets this kind of player. But tell me where you can find a better central defender in the world. I cannot see where."

While Carvalho says Chelsea possess 'better players' than the Champions League- winning Porto side he was part of under Mourinho, the Chelsea manager still believes an exceptional performance will be required tomorrow night.

"We must play the perfect game," he said. "Go there and not concede and then score. But the players thrive on this. They like it and I like it, too. Valencia are a very good team but we can get a result there, we can."

If they do, Abramovich might even get excited enough to finally venture back into the Chelsea dressing room.

The cold war appears to be thawing if Mourinho has backed down and will allow Portsmouth's Avram Grant to join his coaching staff. But Abramovich stayed away again on Saturday, even after the high-five celebrations.