United and Chelsea ready to continue battle

By Martyn Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester United and Chelsea will approach their looming Champions League final in contrasting moods after United wrapped up their 17th English championship on Sunday.

United's 2-0 victory at Wigan Athletic meant whatever Chelsea did at home to Bolton Wanderers would have been in vain, but the Blues' concession of a late equaliser robbed them of the chance to boast the same points total as the champions.

Manager Alex Ferguson said United will be buoyant as they prepare to travel to Moscow where they can clinch the double.

Chelsea, after expending so much effort in recent weeks to take the title race to the wire, will need to dust themselves down for arguably their biggest ever game.

"If we had lost (the title) it would be difficult," Ferguson said of the May 21 date in the Russian capital. "When we lost the title at West Ham in 1995, we lost the FA Cup final the following week. We were dead then. We're not dead now, we're alive. We'll be bouncing into the final."

After taking stock of what they almost achieved against the odds, Chelsea will be turning their attention to their first appearance in Europe's showpiece club final.

INJURY WORRIES

Manager Avram Grant's first priority will be to make sure captain John Terry and striker Didier Drogba are fit. Terry dislocated his elbow against Bolton while Ivorian Drogba suffered a knee injury.