If Manchester United have already got the Premier League title in their grasp nobody has told Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink.
His side staged another late show to beat strugglers Portsmouth 1-0 at Fratton Park here on Tuesday and close the gap on champions and leaders United to just four points - however United can restore their seven point lead on Wednesday should they beat Newcastle, and they also have a game in hand.
Chelsea needed a 90th minute winner to overcome a battling Wigan side at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and it took until 11 minutes from time for striker Didier Drogba to register only his second league goal of the season and maintain temporary boss Hiddink’s 100 percent record in charge.
Until the Ivory Coast international forward finished neatly from substitute Ricardo Quaresma’s cross, Chelsea had produced an unconvincing performance.
But, as Hiddink’s United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson will testify, it is upon such scrappy victories that title challenges are built.
Chelsea were without the services of France striker Nicolas Anelka and for long periods on a rain drenched south coast they lacked any cutting edge.
Portsmouth had never beaten the visitors in a Premier League game but could have taken the lead inside the opening minute when Herman Hreidarsson came marauding forward from left-back and saw his close range shot deflected wide by Jose Bosingwa.
It took until the ninth minute for Hiddink’s revitalised side to threaten David James’ goal when Florent Malouda broke down the left before picking out Salomon Kalou unmarked at the back post.
Kalou is not renowned for his finishing and a mistimed attempted half-volley was cleared by Hreidarsson.
Chelsea began to dominate possession after an uncertain opening 15 minutes and Drogba was inches away from turning home Ashley Cole’s driven low left wing cross after arriving late at James’ back post.
Portsmouth were unfortunate not to take the lead against the run of play when boyhood Chelsea supporter Sean Davis saw his stinging 25-yard pile driver turned behind by the fingertips of Petr Cech.
Germany midfielder Michael Ballack almost bought the first-half to a positive conclusion for Chelsea when his header from Lampard’s left wing corner shaved the crossbar.
The second-half got off to a laboured start until the 59th minute when striker David Nugent turned past England captain John Terry on the edge of the penalty area and found himself one on one with Cech.
The Chelsea goalkeeper stood firm and showed strong wrists to block Nugent’s left foot effort.
Drogba almost opened the scoring in the 66th minute when he came racing onto Quaresma’s cross but put a flying near post header just over the top.
If Portsmouth lose their battle against relegation, Niko Kranjcar will forever be haunted by his glaring 69th minute miss.
Chelsea committed everybody forward for an attacking corner, which was cleared to Peter Crouch on the halfway line and the England striker had a clear run to the edge of Cech?s 18-yard box.
Crouch squared the ball across to Kranjcar, who looked certain to score but the Croatian international could only prod a left foot shot wide with just the stranded Cech to beat.
Chelsea have made a habit of scoring late goals since Hiddink took over from Luiz Felipe Scolari and it was with a sense of inevitability that Drogba finally found his finishing touch in the 79th minute.
Quaresma beat Hreidarsson down Portsmouth?s left hand side and fizzed in a low cross, which Ballack left for Drogba to bury an unstoppable right foot shot past James from 12 yards.
