Win will give us the title, says Michael Ballack

Simon Johnson
06.11.09

Michael Ballack believes no one will be able to stop Chelsea from winning the title if they beat rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

Top-of-the-table Chelsea hold a two-point lead over Sir Alex Ferguson's side and are playing some inspired football under new coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Ballack is desperate to bring United's dominance in the Premier League to an end having seen them win a hat-trick of championships since he arrived at Stamford Bridge from Bayern Munich in 2006.

He said: "It's in our hands and Sunday is a big day for us. It's a day where we can take a big step forward and make the gap bigger. Hopefully we can do this.

"In the past we have been playing catch up with Manchester United but this time we are the ones leading from the front.

"We have to maintain our strength over the whole season and if we do, then no one can beat us."

Ballack is confident Manchester United will become the latest team to become a victim of Chelsea's incredible form at Stamford Bridge this season.

Meanwhile, new Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay is trying to sell the naming rights for Stamford Bridge in a £10m-a-year deal over a decade. He said: "We understand this is a sensitive issue for our fans and that is why we would keep the name Stamford Bridge in any deal."