Chelsea joined the select band of potential English league champions on Saturday after grinding out a 3-1 victory over Everton to go second in the table.
Claudio Ranieri's men showed they have the skill and determination needed to mount a real title challenge after weathering a second-half onslaught to inflict Everton's first home defeat of the season.
Backed by a big-spending chairman in Ken Bates, Chelsea have had a talented squad for the past five years and have enjoyed success in the FA, League and European Cup Winners Cup.
However, their championship hopes have always been dashed by a lack of consistency when it counted, particularly against supposedly weaker opposition.
Those days seem to be over, though, after Saturday's victory extended their unbeaten league run to two months since a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool -- during which they have collected six wins and two draws, conceding just two goals.
Chelsea's French connection in defense with skipper Marcel Desailly and William Gallas has paid real dividends, while Graeme Le Saux's continued absence from the England set-up remains a mystery after his performances on the left flank.
John Terry is also knocking on the door of the England camp, though in his case it should certainly open next year.
But aside from having the Premier League's tightest defense, conceding just 14 goals in 17 games, Chelsea's real strength lies in an attack galvanized by 36-year-old Gianfranco Zola.
The second most prolific strike force in the top-flight, with 31 goals to Arsenal's 36, features Zola as both goalscorer and goalmaker for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
The Sardinian was outstanding in their 4-1 midweek victory over Everton in the League Cup, which booked Chelsea into the quarterfinals, and he followed up on Saturday by handing Jesper Gronkjaer their killer third goal on a plate.
Hasselbaink was also on target in Chelsea's first win at Goodison Park for five years, bringing his tally to seven goals in eight games.
The figures underline a welcome return to form for the powerful Dutchman after a slow start to the season in which he scored only once in eight appearances for club and country.
Italy
Reuters, Milan
AS Roma decided not to talk to the media after their controversial 1-0 defeat at AC Milan in Serie A on Saturday saw the home side go top of the table.
A Roma spokesman told reporters that players and staff were now in a period of "press silence" after the loss to a controversial goal from Filippo Inzaghi.
Roma president Franco Sensi and coach Fabio Capello have been in hot water this season after making strongly-worded criticisms of match officials and it is likely the club wish to avoid disciplinary action.
There were strong protests from Roma's players after Inzaghi's 73rd minute goal with Capello gesturing that the Milan striker had in fact handled the ball earlier in the move.
Television replays showed the ball brushed Inzaghi's arm as he ran onto a long pass forward before Andriy Shevchenko put his strike partner clear.
But Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said he did not think there was any intent to handle the ball from his player.
"It seemed quite unintentional to me," said Ancelotti.
Milan went top of the league with the hard-fought win in a disappointing encounter and Ancelotti said only the three points had satisfied him.
The Netherlands
Reuters, Amsterdam
Ajax Amsterdam paid the price for resting key players before their Champions League clash with AS Roma by drawing 1-1 with bottom club Graafschap Doetinchem on Saturday.
Ajax's side, half of which was made of the reserves who had beaten Willem II Tilburg in the Dutch Cup midweek, took the lead with a 17th minute tap-in from Mido after a goalmouth scramble.
But Dave Zafarin equalized for Doetinchem two minutes after the re-start and Ajax finished with 10 men after Mido was sent off following a clash with Michael van der Kruis in the 84th minute.
The draw moved Ajax up to 37 points, four clear of PSV Eindhoven who play Utrecht on Sunday.
Third place Feyenoord, with Pierre van Hooijdonk back in the side, failed to capitalize on Ajax's slip -- losing 3-1 at Heerenveen after taking the lead.
The unlucky Rotterdammers replaced injured goalkeeper Carlo l'Ami after just eight minutes with 17-year-old Jesper Hogedoorn -- their sixth keeper this season.
Spain
AFP, Madrid
Spanish giants Barcelona slumped to a new low on Saturday when it collapsed to a humiliating 1-0 defeat at relegation-haunted Rayo Vallecano.
The defeat for coach Luis van Gaal's misfiring side means that Barca have now gone four games without a win, marooning them in mid-table and putting them in danger of finishing in the lower half of the first division for the first time since 1942.
It was the worst possible result for Barcelona as they prepare for tomorrow's Champions League trip to Bayer Leverkusen.
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