Venue: Stamford Bridge
Date: Sunday, 4 October 2009
Kick-off: 1600 BST
There seems to be a lot of comparisons being drawn with this game and our meeting last year when Liverpool ended our unbeaten home run. The reality is though, we’ve already slipped up against Wigan this season, so there aren’t any records for Liverpool to gloat over this time round.
These games are never without controversy though, which makes them all the more difficult to predict and whilst Benitez seems happy to focus on their double over us last season, unsurprisingly, he conveniently forgets who put them out of last year’s Champions League.
Another thing that makes this game difficult to suss out is both our recent performances, because whilst Liverpool looked to be scoring goals for fun in the league last week, in the Champions League they were dire. And after our defeat to Wigan last weekend, a mid-week struggle against Apoel Nicosia wasn’t exactly an inspiring performance in the build up for this either.
MANAGERS’ THOUGHTS
After our trip to Cyprus, Carlo Ancelotti says “I saw the game against Apoel and found something that we didn’t do well, and we worked to improve that. I think we will play better on Sunday. We have done our jobs until now but now we have a big game against a good team. When you don’t play well, you do an analysis. We’ve done that and we have resolved the problem. The atmosphere is good in the dressing room. After all, we won in Cyprus. We didn’t play well but when it’s not possible to play well it’s important to win the game. If we play better than we did on Wednesday we can win this game and I think we will play better. What we have to do is play with intelligence, read the game and control it.”
Benitez meanwhile, says “I think Chelsea will play the same way. I don’t think they need to change. They are playing well now and have won 11 games away from home in the Premier League so I don’t think there will be a big difference. You don’t need to change too much when you are playing well and winning. If Gerrard is playing well then it is very difficult to stop him but if he is playing against better players, and Chelsea are full of good players, it will be more difficult for him. It is also a challenge for him. Both teams will be desperate to win and hopefully it will be a good game. We go there with the idea we can win. We beat them twice last year, but we know Stamford Bridge is a difficult place to go. Both teams will try to win. If we can do that it will be two defeats in a row for them, but my idea is still same. It will be a long race.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, Alex (groin) and Mikel (ankle) miss out again. Michael Ballack has recovered from the calf injury that saw him miss out last weekend although Sturridge (calf) remains a doubt. Petr Cech misses out through suspension.
For Liverpool, Aquilani (ankle) and Dossena (groin) are both out. Mascherano is expected to return and Daniel Agger could make the bench.
TEAMS
CHELSEA (from): Hilario, Turnbull, Ivanovic, A Cole, Carvalho, Terry, Belletti, Hutchinson, Bruma, Essien, Lampard, J Cole, Malouda, Zhirkov, Drogba, Deco, Kalou, Sturridge, Anelka, Borini.
LIVERPOOL (from): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Aurelio, Benayoun, Babel, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Torres, Agger, Cavalieri, Riera, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Voronin, Spearing.
LAST MEETING
Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool (7-5 agg) 14 April 2009
PREDICTION
Well, they did the double over us last season and we haven’t actually beaten them at Stamford Bridge for a couple of years now, so bearing in mind our last couple of games as well, I’m predicting I’ll have the right hump by tonight!
REFEREE
Martin Atkinson
Blue is the colour
