Nigel and the ostrich and an embarrassing mum

I was out for most of yesterday but returned home just in time to see the second half start at the King Power with Leicester, on the back of four wins having beaten us on Saturday, leading 1-0. The second half, however, was Chelsea's. The champions elect netted three times and that was too much for poor Nigel who for the umpteenth time made a complete fool of himself.

This time he accused journalist Ian Baker of being an ostrich and on a number of occasions called him stupid all because Baker queried the suggestion from Pearson that his players had received unfair criticism.

He has apologised today, not privately, but said he wanted to make the apology in front of the television cameras. Baker, who was present, has confirmed that he's accepted the apology.

It's clear that Nigel has long since lost the plot. We saw evidence of his shocking behaviour when we had the audacity to get a point at Leicester earlier in the season although I do now believe that was prompted by his dislike for a member of the Burnley FC staff.

You would think he'd be a little more stable right now having moved his team out of the bottom three with their Turf Moor win, but the fool becomes more and more bizarre almost by the day.

That win at Burnley means Sunderland have dropped into the bottom three. They do have a game in hand but, like us, have won only five times all season, and there must be real concern now on Wearside.

They are blaming us, or should I saw one of their supporters is. My good mate Paul, as committed as Mackem as I am a Claret, texted me on Sunday: "Your penalty miss may yet send us down." I did suggest in reply it had done us more damage than it has done them.

I did think the fat lady had started gargling on Saturday night and I think she made her first move towards the stage on Monday when a Michael Dawson goal gave Hull all three points against a Liverpool side that are nothing like the one that played us only a few weeks ago.

Hull have now surely put themselves in a position where one win would mean safety. The same can be said for Newcastle but they'll be wondering where their next point is coming from let alone win. They've now lost seven consecutive games, a club record I believe.

Whilst it is going to be very difficult for us to come close to staying up now, I don't think it is going to be that difficult for Chelsea to win the league. You'd have to be stupid, to use one of Nigel's words, to not realise they are the best team in the league. One win from the last four games will do it.

Away from the pitch, I loved the story this week of a player's mum getting a ban. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is a 17-year-old Arsenal player whose mum got into a training ground dispute and threatened to withdraw young Ainsley from an under-21 match.

Mum, Jule Niles, was arrested after police were called but she was not charged and issued with a warning. Arsenal are taking nothing to chance and have banned her. The youngster has already made both his Premier League and Champions League debut. Next time he plays there will be an empty seat in the stand.

By next week I expect Chelsea to have won the league and, if results just went right for once, we might give ourselves a chance. That will probably mean we'll need to win and the others at the bottom all lose. The longer we can keep that fat lady off the stage the better.