Football FanCast columnist Stephen Darwin looks ahead to Grand Slam Sunday and assesses Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United's title credentials.

As Sir Alex Ferguson basked in the comfort of a two goal cushion and three valuable points that edged the Premier League title ever so slightly further in the direction of Old Trafford, Robbie Keane was on hand to pour on the misery for a somewhat disgruntled Avram Grant. With Arsenal's recent slump and the fact that only eight games remain, can Ferguson realistically start dreaming of a tenth Premier League crown?


It is fair to conclude that Robbie Keane dealt a considerable blow to Chelsea's fading hopes of domestic success this season. In recent performances Manchester United have hardly set the world alight yet continue to keep their points tally sufficiently ticking over. Consecutive draws against somewhat inferior opposition have left Arsene Wenger in a noticeable predicament as the season draws to a close. In what is one the most hotly contested title races in recent history, is it safe to assume that the Premier League trophy will remain in Manchester for the foreseeable future?

Well despite Joe Cole's rallying cry, Chelsea face Arsenal and Manchester United and must come out undefeated to give themselves a realistic chance of mounting a serious challenge. Failure to do so may inextricably prioritise success in Europe for Grant as he faces an uphill struggle to keep his job. The Blues clearly possess the fire power through the likes of Drogba, Lampard and Cole and have the potential to provide a considerably strong finish although it is important to reiterate that defeat against their title rivals could prove ultimately costly.

With the greatest respect for Wigan and Middlesbrough, I'm sure the Gunners faithful would have expected their side to have turned over their Premier League counterparts with relative ease. It is imperative for Wenger to draw upon his wealth of managerial experience to revitalise Arsenal's championship charge and avoid the Gunners season petering out completely.  In all fairness the Gunners still have the Champions League to look forward to, although when you consider the manner in which European glory has so often eluded them, Wenger will attempt to ensure his side remain focussed on gunning down United.

While Emmanuel Adebayor reflects on a distinctly barren spell in front of goal, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to fire on all cylinders and maintain his superlative form. The Portuguese winger is single-handedly firing the Red Devils to the summit of the Premier League and United will be hoping that the unbelievably gifted midfielder will continue in the same vein against Liverpool on the weekend. Ferguson can sense another title is in the offing and Sunday's encounter could well prove to be a significant turning point. Fernando Torres will undoubtedly provide a potential stumbling block and it will be important for United's back four to keep a close eye on the gifted Spaniard throughout the proceedings.

So it all boils down to the last eight games of the season. Will Arsenal continue to falter or successfully rediscover the form that had stood them in such good stead throughout the season? Will Chelsea mull over the midweek draw with Spurs and retract attention from the Premier League to attempt to secure the Champions League? Or will Manchester United succumb to their fierce Scouse rivals and lose momentum at this vital stage of the season? One thing for sure is that these last couple of months will be a fascinating prospect to behold as the top three teams in England battle it out to be champions of the greatest league in world football.

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