Will he? Won’t he?

Agencies

Didier Drogba played Grant’s saviour
Avram Grant turned the title race on its head Sunday night - and transformed himself into Chelsea’s new Special One.

Four days after his tactical tinkering cost Chelsea two vital points at Spurs, the Blues boss was staring at a cataclysmic defeat which would have ended his side’s remarkable unbeaten home record and surely spelled the end of his reign.

With Chelsea trailing to Bacary Sagna’s close-range header, Blues fans turned on Grant as he boldly hauled off Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele, sending on Nicolas Anelka and Juliano Belletti as he switched to an orthodox 4-4-2.

Chelsea supporters chanted “You don’t know what you’re doing,” and bellowed the name of their long-lost Special One.

It was as much a statement of contempt as Ashley Cole’s behaviour towards Mike Riley at White Hart Lane four days earlier, the Chelsea fans seemingly desperate to condemn the manager they have never really accepted.

Grant, a mastermind?

But Jose Mourinho himself could not have masterminded such a dramatic turnaround. The move which could have killed Grant instead unleashed the predatory beast within striker Didier Drogba, who capitalised on Arsenal’s sudden defensive disarray to fire a two-goal salvo which turned the game.

“I don’t think any manager thinks it will succeed every time,” Grant said after the game. “Today it did, so I’m happy...We wanted to put more pressure on their defence.”

Grant not only put more pressure on Arsenal’s defence but also turned deaf ears on the fans at Stamford Bridge. “I didn’t hear them,” he said. “I concentrate on what I need to do, and I’m very confident about what I need to do. I cannot listen to other voices.”

Roman’s hit-list

Not long ago, certain sections of the media had reported that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was drawing up a secret hit-list of potential managers which will pile the pressure on Grant.

Turkey boss Fatih Terim, one of the most highly-rated managers in Europe, has been sounded out by agents claiming to be working for Chelsea. Terim, 54, is believed to be one of the targets along with Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard and Getafe coach Michael Laudrup if under-pressure Grant loses his job this summer.

Grant, however, after Sunday’s win and with an invigorated Premiership campaign, knows he can answer his critics aptly. But he is cautious: “I don’t know if we will win the league but we will do our best to do it.”

“We have won more than 80 percent of our games. Since we lost in the League Cup we scored 20 goals or more in all the competitions.

“I promised we would play attacking football. We did that and scored goals. It is important because for me the way is more important than anything else."