We can still do my old club a favour, says Wigan star Melchiot

The Latics captain, who spent five years at Stamford Bridge, was delighted that Emile Heskey's late equaliser in last night's 1-1 draw increased his side's survival hopes, but admitted he still wants Chelsea to be champions.

Avram Grant's are now five points behind Manchester United and need to win their last four games, including one against Sir Alex Ferguson's side, and hope one other club beats the champions as well.

Melchiot believes Wigan can step up to the mark providing the title race goes that far.

He said: "We can still do Chelsea a big favour and beat Manchester United on the final day of the season.

"We need the points ourselves and may have to win to stay up. We want to get our future secured by then, but it might all come down to the last game.

"I don't think Chelsea's title hopes are over. It is out of their hands now, but the two clubs still have to play each other and United could lose again. At this stage it is possible - no-one thought they would drop points at Middlesbrough.

"Part of me is sad I may have cost my old club in the title race. I always get a lot of love and respect from the fans at Chelsea and I want nothing more than for them to win the title. But I had to do my job for Wigan first.

"We knew they might be slow to begin with and come out strong in the second half. But, after they scored, they sat back and we felt we were back in the game.

"I told the players to go for it and in the last few minutes we started attacking and got our reward."

Even if the league title proves beyond them, Melchiot still believes Chelsea can end the season with a trophy by triumphing in Europe.

The 31-year-old was in the first Chelsea side to reach a Champions League semi-final when they lost to Monaco in 2004 and was surprised that the club lost to Liverpool at the same stage on two other occasions. Chelsea will take on Liverpool over two legs for a third time with the first match at Anfield next week and Melchiot believes it will be third time lucky.

He said: "I think they can go all the way. They have better individual players in the team now than the one I played in that lost to Monaco. It's time they got to the final.

"The first leg will be difficult - Chelsea have struggled for years at Anfield - but they can finish them off in the second leg at Stamford Bridge."