Chelsea's Ramires (center) celebrates his goal with teammates during their English Premier League match against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton on Monday. Darren Staples / Reuters

Team's first away win since October closes gap on Premier League leader

BOLTON, England - Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti admits his team's two meetings with Manchester United will decide whether it has a chance of retaining its title.

Ancelotti's side recorded a first away victory since October with a 4-0 win over Bolton to close the gap on United, who travels to Blackpool on Tuesday, to seven points.

The Stamford Bridge side has now recorded successive wins in the Premier League after picking up just one win in nine matches.

It is still some way behind a United team that has yet to lose in the Premier League this season, but Ancelotti has promised Chelsea will be ready to pounce if Sir Alex Ferguson's side slips up.

"To close the gap is not easy because Man United is so far ahead but we have to try to do everything to come back and, step by step, I think we can do it," said the Italian.

"It depends on the performance of Man United, this is normal but our aim is to do everything to try to come back.

"Obviously, if we think we can close the gap, we have to win the games against them.

"But first we have to play them home and the most important thing is that we come back to use our power, our strength, our personality.

"For this reason we have to have confidence that this season can be good for us in the future."

Ancelotti is hopeful Chelsea has now put its poor run behind it but feels it will be stronger after a difficult couple of months.

"I think that I said before when you are able to move on from this moment you can be stronger and the most important thing is to maintain composure and nothing happened to change our focus," he said.

"We've won an important game and have other important games in the future, starting with Everton on Saturday (in the FA Cup). We know the way that we have to follow.

"It was an important performance against Bolton. We turned the corner and now we have to look forward with confidence, pay attention, continue to work hard and maintain confidence."

Ancelotti admits Chelsea is no closer to completing the signing of Benfica's Brazilian defender David Luiz.

Chelsea has had one offer for the centerback rejected but remains keen to sign him this month.

"It's not done. We have to find an agreement," said Ancelotti.

"We are trying to find an agreement with Benfica. Nothing is decided and we have to wait and see. There is no agreement with the club."

Chelsea pulled off a convincing victory with Didier Drogba putting it in front with a fine long-range effort in the early stages.

Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka added goals either side of halftime before Brazilian midfielder Ramires scored a fourth with his first goal for the club.

After a fine start to the season, Bolton has slipped to 10th place in the Premier League with four defeats in five matches.

Its manager, Owen Coyle, admits his team has to show its quality to turn around a difficult situation which sees it in danger of being sucked into the relegation battle.

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 01/26/2011 page22)