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MICHAEL BALLACK insists the Premier League is already a two-horse title race - after just six games of the season.
The thoroughbreds of Chelsea and Manchester United emerged from Sunday's derby madness at the top of the pile.
No surprise there but it seems talk of a new order in English football after the bright start made by Manchester City and Tottenham was premature.
Carlo Ancelotti's Blues have made a perfect start in the league while United have now beaten Arsenal, Spurs and City to stay on their tail.
Ballack scored the crucial second goal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and he admitted the championship is taking a very familiar look.
The German midfielder said: "It looks a little bit like a two-horse race but we don't underestimate anybody. Man City have started well while Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool are all teams that can have a good run at any time of the season."
United scored their winning goal in time added-on in Sunday's Manchester derby while Chelsea have scored late winners in two of their six wins.
Ballack, 32, sees that ability to keep fighting to the end as one of the reasons Chelsea and United have won the league between them in the last five years.
He added: "United have a lot of good years behind them with the Champions League win and three Premier League title wins which will give them a lot of confidence.
"That helps them in the tight games like you saw on Sunday and they always come back."
Chelsea stretched their Premier League winning streak to 11 - a new club record - with their 3-0 victory over Spurs.
Ballack insisted: "You can feel the spirit here now. The Champions League final and the semi-final last year when we went out has kept the team together. That spirit is what you can feel now."
Chelsea hope Didier Drogba will be fit to play at Wigan on Saturday.
The striker suffered severe cramp against Spurs and had a precautionary scan yesterday.
Boss Ancelotti will play his reserves against QPR in the Carling Cup tomorrow and Drogba is expected to be fit by the weekend.
The thoroughbreds of Chelsea and Manchester United emerged from Sunday's derby madness at the top of the pile.
No surprise there but it seems talk of a new order in English football after the bright start made by Manchester City and Tottenham was premature.
Carlo Ancelotti's Blues have made a perfect start in the league while United have now beaten Arsenal, Spurs and City to stay on their tail.
Ballack scored the crucial second goal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and he admitted the championship is taking a very familiar look.
The German midfielder said: "It looks a little bit like a two-horse race but we don't underestimate anybody. Man City have started well while Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool are all teams that can have a good run at any time of the season."
United scored their winning goal in time added-on in Sunday's Manchester derby while Chelsea have scored late winners in two of their six wins.
Ballack, 32, sees that ability to keep fighting to the end as one of the reasons Chelsea and United have won the league between them in the last five years.
He added: "United have a lot of good years behind them with the Champions League win and three Premier League title wins which will give them a lot of confidence.
"That helps them in the tight games like you saw on Sunday and they always come back."
Chelsea stretched their Premier League winning streak to 11 - a new club record - with their 3-0 victory over Spurs.
Ballack insisted: "You can feel the spirit here now. The Champions League final and the semi-final last year when we went out has kept the team together. That spirit is what you can feel now."
Chelsea hope Didier Drogba will be fit to play at Wigan on Saturday.
The striker suffered severe cramp against Spurs and had a precautionary scan yesterday.
Boss Ancelotti will play his reserves against QPR in the Carling Cup tomorrow and Drogba is expected to be fit by the weekend.
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