Chelsea v Birmingham City

Jose Mourinho returns to the Stamford Bridge dugout after his UEFA-enforced exile -- but going by the team's performance during his 'absense', he wasn't missed.

We need nine points from our remaining seven games to win our first top flight title in fifty years. If all goes to plan, we'll win the Premiership on St. George's Day, April 23rd, at home to Fulham -- and it'll be exactly fifty years since we last won the top flight title, April 23rd, 1955.

First stop on the Road to Glory is today's encounter with one of the Premiership's dourest teams, Birmingham City. The Midlands Blues have failed to live up to their own expectations this season, but look assured of Premiership football for a fourth straight season despite several extended runs of poor form. Their manager, Steve Bruce, has spoken this week of his desire to strengthen his side by signing two of our 'fringe' players, Scott Parker and Mikael Forssell. Both players' seasons have been blighted by severe injuries, but hopefully they're in Mourinho's plans -- he's spoken openly of his admiration for Forssell's attitude, recovery from injury and abilities, suggesting he is -- thus thwarting any attempts by Birmingham to sign them.

Forssell will be hoping to start today and face the team where he spent a season and a bit on loan before picking up a serious knee injury. He scored 17 goals for Birmingham last season and deserves his chance at Stamford Bridge. The rapturous welcome he received when coming on for the final few minutes against Bayern Munich mid-week demonstrated just how much regard us fans have for this talented striker. I really hope he does well in the final few games of the season and remains with us for several more years.

He is likely to replace Didier Drogba, who did brilliantly in the role of target striker against Bayern. The Ivory Coast international is expected to be rested in preparation for a repeat performance against the Germans on Tuesday evening.

Mateja Kezman will also be looking to play a part after being suspended for the Champions League tie. The hard working Serbian striker has been somewhat disappointing this season after two prolific seasons in Holland. His former manager, PSV Eindhoven's Gus Hiddink, this week told Chelsea to keep faith with him saying: "Knowing his character he will be successful in the Premier League and at Chelsea because I know he is determined and he has the capacity to do so." I for one am willing to give him the time. Whether Mourinho is is unknown.

Robert Huth will be looking to play a bigger part and may well be employed to nullify the 'danger' Emile Heskey infrequently poses.

With Tuesday's match in mind, Mourinho is unlikely to play Joe Cole and Damien Duff for the full 90 minutes, which gives him the chance to tinker with the line-up.

Arjen Robben, Wayne Bridge and Paulo Ferreira remain sidelined.

Score prediction: We'll be looking for our third victory over Birmingham this season having beaten them 1-0 at St. Andrews, thanks to a Joe Cole strike in only the second game of the season, and knocked them out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win at the Bridge. Their record against us is poor: they've never beaten us in the Premiership and they have scored just once in five games against us.

It is unlikely they'll be looking to win today, instead concentrating on packing the midfield and preventing us from scoring. This is a dangerous game and one which will end in failure: 2-0, our sixth successive Premiership victory and Birmingham's sixth successive away defeat.

By the way, I've backed Strong Resolve to win the Grand National -- who'll be only the third grey to win it.

h3. Chelsea 1 - 1 Birmingham City · Match Reports

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*Related links:*

* Reaction: Jose has a point * Mourinho: I'm happy :+I * Drogba comes off bench to salvage draw for Chelsea

h3. Chelsea still two wins from Championship · Update

Chelsea can still win the Championship on the 50th anniversary of winning it in 1955 simply by winning the next two Premiership matches.

Although the lead over Arsenal dropped to 11 points yesterday, Sunday, it went up to 14 over Manchester United, so six points from the next two games, climaxing in Chelsea's home game with Fulham on April 23rd, can still put United out of the running.

But because Arsenal is the next game, victory over them would secure a 14 point lead, and then victory over Fulham would win the Championship because there would only be four games left after that with 12 points at stake.

If Chelsea don't beat Arsenal, then the Championship cannot be secured against Fulham.

Chelsea won the Championship on April 23rd 1955 with a 3-0 Stamford Bridge win over Sheffield Wednesday.