Critical penalty for Chelsea

36th day of English Premiership League at Stamford Bridge:
Chelsea (78pts) vs Man U (81pts) before the game.

Joe Cole's shot hit the bar as Man U, who lost Nemanja Vidic to injury, backtracked before Ballack headed Chelsea in front on 45 minutes.

Wayne Rooney drove in the equaliser after Ricardo Carvalho's error to put United back in the driving seat.

But after Michael Carrick handled in the area, Ballack won it from the spot.

It was the first penalty Man U had conceded in the league all season and could prove decisive at the end of the season when silverware is handed out.

And as Man U pressed at the very end of the game, it took goal-line clearances from Ashley Cole and Andriy Shevchenko to deny first Cristiano Ronaldo and then Darren Fletcher and ensure Chelsea claimed a vital three points.

Chelsea, with their inferior goal difference, knew a win was their only realistic chance of keeping alive their hopes of overhauling Man U - and they started the match powerfully.

Although the Blues were much the better side in the first half, Cole's volley against the bar aside, they created few clear-cut chances.

Man U's reshuffled defence, which saw substitute Owen Hargreaves come on at right-back and Wes Brown moved to centre-back, had coped well with Chelsea's threats.

But the power of Drogba, the combative qualities of Essien and Cole's darting movement had Man U pinned back in their own half.

A quiet Rooney looked isolated, and Man U seemed toothless without Ronaldo, who had been left on the bench.

After the interval, Chelsea again tried to pick up the pace but their game plan appeared to be in tatters when Carvalho made an awful mistake to let Man U back into the match.

The Portuguese defender casually played the ball towards his own goal, straight into the path of Rooney, who raced clear of John Terry and scored with an excellent low drive.

It proved to be Rooney's last contribution as he was went off injured shortly after to be replaced by Ronaldo.

Frustration was building for Chelsea and Ballack and Drogba argued with each other as they prepared to take a free-kick.

Drogba eventually took aim and was only denied by a magnificent save by Edwin van der Sar.

And there was still time for more drama as Carrick was penalised for blocking Essien's right-wing cross with his arm.

Up stepped Ballack, who brilliantly sent the keeper the wrong way and put Chelsea back into the lead.

Yet it almost did not end there as Man U came so close to snatching another equaliser but Cole and Shevchenko cleared efforts off the line.

Final whistle: ManU 81points and Chelsea 81points.

NB: Remember, last year Real Madrid won the spanish Liga at goal difference against FC Barcelona.