Chelsea's Didier Drogba reacts after a missed opportunity during their English Premier League football match against Newcastle United in Newcastle yesterday. The game ended 0-0. - Reuters photos

LONDON (Reuters):

Chelsea missed their chance to slash Manchester United's lead in the English Premier League to a single point yesterday when they were held to a 0-0 draw at Newcastle United.

Manchester United handed the initiative to Chelsea after drawing 1-1 at home with Middlesbrough on Saturday and will breathe a huge sigh of relief at the champions' scrappy draw at St. James' Park.

Aston Villa drew 0-0 at home to Portsmouth in yesterday's other game.

With four games left, United are top on 82 points and Chelsea, who host Alex Ferguson's men in a potential title decider at Stamford Bridge on May 9, have 79.

Neither side created clear-cut chances yesterday, with Newcastle's defence keeping a tight rein on the Chelsea attack led by 31-goal Ivorian striker Didier Drogba.

Chelsea, who had won nine consecutive league games, had their best chance deep in stoppage time when a flick by substitute Joe Cole ran wide of the far post.

Coach Jose Mourinho played down the day's missed opportunity and highlighted a penalty appeal rejected when the ball hit Newcastle United defender Stephen Carr's arm.

In comments that could land him in trouble, Mourinho said penalty decisions were favouring Manchester United and going against Chelsea.

Sheffield United had a strong penalty appeal waved away in last week'sdefeat by United, as did Boro in the closing stages on Saturday.

"We are in conditions to fight for the Premiership, even against new football rules," Mourinho told Sky Sports News.

"One rule is that penalties are not allowed against Man United and another is penalties are not allowed in favour of Chelsea.

"You are speaking about three big decisions that can cost, that are directly related to points."

TITLE RACE

Asked if Chelsea had missed a chance in the title race, he said: "It depends on your point of view. Our target for many many weeks was to finish this period... in a situation where we could do it.

"We have three matches at home and one away, and Man United have one match at home and three away.

"If you'd told me 10 weeks ago we'd be three points (behind)... I'd be very happy with that. If you told me this morning, then 'no' - I wanted to finish one point behind."

Just below the title rivals, Liverpool sealed their place in the Champions League qualifiers with a 2-0 win on Saturday over Wigan Athletic that kept them third on 67 points.

Arsenal are fourth on 63 after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby, while at the bottom of the table Watford were relegated.

Standings

(Reuters):

English Premier League results and standings after yesterday's matches.

Teams	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1 Man U	34	26	4	4	78	24	82
2 Chelsea	34	24	7	3	60	20	79
3 Liverpool	35	20	7	8	54	22	67
4 Arsenal	35	18	9	8	59	33	63
5 Everton	35	14	12	9	46	31	54
6 Bolton	35	16	6	13	42	45	54
7 Reading	35	15	6	14	48	42	51
8 P'mouth	35	13	11	11	43	38	50
9 Tottenham	34	14	8	12	49	50	50
10 Blackburn	34	13	5	16	42	49	44
11 Aston Villa	35	9	16	10	36	39	43
12 Newcastle	35	11	9	15	37	43	42
13 Man City	35	11	9	15	28	39	42
14 M'brough	35	10	10	15	38	45	40
15 Fulham	35	7	15	13	35	54	36
16 Wigan A	35	9	8	18	35	54	35
17 Sheffield	35	9	8	18	30	50	35
18 Charlton A	35	8	9	18	31	52	33
19 West Ham	35	9	5	21	28	58	32
20 Watford	35	4	12	19	26	57	24
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