[BPL] Liverpool 0 - 2 Chelsea
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Liverpool won't throw away their history! Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson urges proud Reds to wreck Chelsea's title dreams
Dilemma: Steven Gerrard and Liverpool need a win over Chelsea to boost their slim hopes of Champions League qualification but that result would potentially hand the title to great rivals Manchester United
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Channel 27: "Live" <--- Take note that's no more Football Channel 27, moved to Football Channel 222.Liverpool - Chelsea - 8:30 pmSir Alex Ferguson is confident Liverpool will not "throw away their history" by standing aside for Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday.
Manchester United head into the penultimate weekend of the campaign knowing their last realistic chance of overhauling Carlo Ancelotti's side depends on Liverpool avoiding defeat this weekend.
If Chelsea are denied maximum points, United can seize the advantage by beating Sunderland at the Stadium of Light a couple of hours later.
All this has been noted at an increasingly agitated Liverpool. And quite apart from drawing a veil on what has been a disastrous season for the Merseyside giants, that took another downturn last night with a Europa League semi-final exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid, the sub-plot is United attempting to clinch a record 19th league championship.
That would eclipse Liverpool, a situation that seemed impossible when Ferguson came south from Aberdeen in 1986.
It has led a number of Liverpool supporters to voice their desire for their team to lose, even though it would cost them what slender chance they still have of finishing in the Champions League places.
Ferguson cannot see that eventuality and is convinced Liverpool have too much to lose by not trying.
'I am confident they will do their maximum,' he said. 'Great clubs don't throw their history and traditions away for one game. They have been in 11 European finals. They have won 18 titles.
Convinced: Ferguson is confident Liverpool will not allow the Blues to coast to victory at United's expense
'That is a fantastic history. You don't throw that away. The fans know that too. Do you think the fans want to go home saying their players capitulated and they didn't try and thinking it wouldn't happen again?'
There is a precedent. On the last day in 1995, United headed to West Ham knowing it would take a victory at Upton Park and a Liverpool win over Blackburn at Anfield to give them the title.
Given Kenny Dalglish was the Blackburn manager, the attachment was arguably even greater. As it turned out, Liverpool did their job, but United were unable to capitalise.
'We were depending on Liverpool producing - and they did,' recalled Ferguson. 'You have to earn a right to win the title. Okay, there were a lot of English players in their team that day and they understood the history of Liverpool FC.
'But I don't think there has been such a swing that the current players do not understand the history of Liverpool.'
They presumably also know they are tired, weary and unhappy given they slogged through 120 minutes last night before falling to Diego Forlan's extra-time decider.
It leaves Rafa Benitez in a similar position to the one Ferguson found himself in when United crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich.
And it also gave the United boss a chance to air his long-held view about the Premier League not giving any assistance to clubs sidetracked by European commitments.
'It is difficult to say how Liverpool's players will feel,' said Ferguson. 'It is Rafa's job to prepare his players. The way we lost to Bayern Munich gave me a difficult job to raise players. But you have to do it. That is your job. It took me a couple of days to get over it. But you can't wallow in pity.
Champions elect: Chelsea lead the Premier League by one point with just two games to go and could be crowned winners this weekend if results go their way
'I would totally agree that we would have preferred last night's game to finish in 90 minutes and I have always said teams don't get the proper help when they are in Europe.
'Having to play Sunday lunchtime after a Thursday game is not fair but it happens time and again when we see repeatedly teams abroad being allowed to bring games forward to suit their programme. That is a fact.
'They say there is congestion but it is not that big you can't help a team by one day or a few hours. We have all had to cope with it over the years. You depend on the great resilience of the English player.'
For his part, Ferguson could have Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand back in contention after recent groin injuries, providing a welcome selection poser ahead of a visit to Wearside, where Sunderland have lost just twice in the league all season.
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Alex start the mind games
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Moyes : I don't care about Liverpool
EURO HOPE ... David Moyes
EVERTON boss David Moyes insists he has no interest in the fortunes of Liverpool despite eyeing their European spot.
The Toffees still have a slim chance of qualifying for next season's Europa League but would probably need to oust their arch-rivals from seventh spot.
They trail their neighbours by five points with just two games remaining but with Liverpool up against title-chasing Chelsea this weekend, there could be a chance to cut the gap.
But when asked about Sunday's game at Anfield, Moyes insisted his only focus was his own team's trip to Stoke.
He said: "What game? I have got no interest in Liverpool-Chelsea. I am only interested in Everton.
"I don't know what will happen in the Liverpool-Chelsea game.
"The race for seventh is a different question. All we can do is do our job and then we will see what happens after that.
"We have to win our game, which will be really tough at Stoke."
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mind games again.
arsenal played it with spurs against chelsea. now its man u's turn.
win the title on the field. stop the mind games.
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Haiz
Sir Alex , y cant u say u predict Chelsea will be the title holder tis season =.= -
If Pool had beaten the best Man U, why can't win Chelsea.
& BPL should be Man U again!!!
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u think winning at match is veri easy??????
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Show my boys some respect! Carlo Ancelotti tells Liverpool, 'We'll teach you about history...'
At home: Carlo Ancelotti (right) already feels a strong bond to his Chelsea players
There is a verse they like to sing at Anfield when Chelsea visit. It is about history and it points out rather impolitely how three league titles is nothing compared to a record haul of 18 plus five European Cups.
Carlo Ancelotti knows a little about Liverpool’s glorious past, having been on the wrong end of the fifth of those European successes when his AC Milan team squandered a three-goal lead and lost on penalties.
He admits that night in Istanbul in 2005 was the most painful moment of his managerial career but he cannot agree the sentiment behind the Kop song.
‘The past is the past,’ said Ancelotti. ‘Everyone respects the history of Liverpool and everyone has to have respect for our history, too. Maybe it’s a different history but everyone has to have respect for the history of this club.’
When Roman Abramovich set about the task of luring Ancelotti from his beloved Milan, he summoned him to an interview in Paris and spoke about identity.
Twelve months later, when the Italian left the San Siro for Stamford Bridge, he was under no illusions. His job would be to win trophies, entertain and — perhaps hardest of all — make Chelsea more likeable.
Ancelotti arrived in England saying he wanted to win the Champions League and the Premier League and ‘maybe both’.
Let down: Carlo Ancelotti (right) was beaten by Jose Mourinho in the Champions League, much to the anger of Roman Abramovich
Defeat to Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan did not go down well with Abramovich but the club’s first League and FA Cup Double would not be a bad start and, if entertainment is all about goals, he has done well in that department too.
As for making Chelsea more likeable, well, that may take a little longer but Ancelotti has made a start, with his humility and good humour. It is not his style to berate the referee or launch verbal attacks on fellow managers.
His sense of humour is dry and he happily plays along with the incessant comparisons to Mourinho. There is no love lost between the pair but Ancelotti is a diplomat and knows there are no points to be scored by criticising someone the Chelsea fans adore.
He sent Mourinho a message of congratulations after Inter Milan had beaten Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Asked if he would sprint across the pitch in celebration as Mourinho did at the Nou Camp on Wednesday, Ancelotti showed only empathy.
‘When I won the Champions League I ran on the pitch,’ he said. That was in 2003. Would he do it at Anfield, if he won on Sunday?
‘I am not able to run any more,’ he smiled. ‘I risk injury.’
Old Lady of Italy: Carlo Ancelotti (right) endured mixed feelings during his time at the Juventus helm
Ancelotti was such an unpopular manager at Juventus that he sometimes required a police escort to get from his home to the training ground. Fans called him a ‘pig’ because he was raised in part of Italy famed for its ham.
‘Why do you keep asking about Juventus,’ he asked reporters on Friday. ‘You want me to be nervous?’
The questions included the time his Juve team lost the Serie A title with a defeat in a deluge at Perugia on the last day of the season.
‘I hope there’s no rain in Liverpool,’ Ancelotti said. ‘That’s what happened in Perugia. We have to wait 90 minutes to play the second half. That’s too much for a team involved in a fight for the title.’
The human touch works for him. When Lampard asked to play deeper in midfield rather than at the top of a diamond, Ancelotti listened, moved him back, adjusted the shape of the team and watched the goals roll in.
He accepts Liverpool may have tired legs after two hours against Atletico Madrid on Thursday but rejects the conspiracy theories that the team will not try to win because they do not want to help rivals United win the title.
‘It is not my job to play mind games,’ said Ancelotti. ‘I prefer to stay focused with my players. I have a lot to think about. We have to prepare for the game tactically, physically.
‘My job is to maintain a good atmosphere in the squad. We have to be fresh and relax, though not too much. We have to believe we are able to win at Liverpool.
‘But it is easy to motivate my players. We have 180 minutes to the end of the season and we have to stay focused for every minute, keep our concentration. If we do that, we can be champions.’
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Liverpool don't need to worry about throwing this game or not at all...................sure lose one...............
i've a very strong feeling Man U can't beat Sunderland.......................
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Anfield atmosphere can scare Chelsea off liao.
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I gt feeling Darren Bent would score goals against Man U
for Chelsea
prehaps narrow win ??? -
Liverpool is now just a paper tiger....................without Torres, they're like a toothless paper tiger some more............
i'm a Liverpool supporter but i'm hoping Chelsea to massacre Liverpool .................4-0 at least............hopefully can go to 6-0......................put Rafa out of his misery.............LOL
prediction.............Chelsea will either win 2-1 or 3-0.................so bet on 3 goals................
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Originally posted by As romanista2001:
Liverpool is now just a paper tiger....................without Torres, they're like a toothless paper tiger some more............
i'm a Liverpool supporter but i'm hoping Chelsea to massacre Liverpool .................4-0 at least............hopefully can go to 6-0......................put Rafa out of his misery.............LOL
prediction.............Chelsea will either win 2-1 or 3-0.................so bet on 3 goals................
Without Torres & Gerrald, Man U still lost to Pool last season 2-1.
Without Gerrald ONLY, Pool still managed to win Man U 2-0.
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Originally posted by Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1):
for Chelsea
prehaps narrow win ???
Chelsea couldn't EVEN get a point from Spurs sial. -
Originally posted by TIB657M:
Without Torres & Gerrald, Man U still lost to Pool last season 2-1.
Without Gerrald ONLY, Pool still managed to win Man U 2-0.
it gerrard -
Originally posted by TIB657M:
Chelsea couldn't EVEN get a point from Spurs sial.
although they tried right =.=
Man u also cannot get a point from Chelsea somemore -
why all people think pool will be deciding factor. If Chelsea win by their efforts den ok,
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For some senior player, it will be their last match in Anfield.
It will be the last match for Ah Ben at Anfield.
Liverpool will find it hard to score against Chelsea.
It will be a high scoring game.
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Liverpool need to beat chelsea to keep up in place for 4th place..
Siao, lose to chelsea and they can say bye bye to CL.
They put the aqua man at starting line-up. Maybe they will have the chance to beat chealski
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Liverpool need to depend on the other team to draw to get 4th position.
It is very sad when your fate have to depend on other demise.
Liverpool did not play well to win this season so they have put themselves in this situation.
Ah Ben have done enough with his effort and time for him to go.
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Originally posted by Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1):
although they tried right =.=
Man u also cannot get a point from Chelsea somemore
Chelsea should be MAD about Spur's performance against Man U -
i dont see how his report was anything about teaching liverpool history..just another media ploy to fan the flames in an attempt to motivate liverpool?
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In a normal situation, I believe Chelsea won't get more than a point at Anfield even in present form...
Reason is, it's very difficult to beat Liverpool at Anfield if they are up for it. And another major point people forget is, Chelsea have been playing very poorly away from home. They beat Villa by 7 goals as well and the next weekend they were lucky to get a win at Old Trafford with a Drogba's offside goal even though United were tried from their CL match and travelling...
Again they were very fortunate to win Bolton at home when a Terry hand ball was not punished with a penalty... Again, we all saw how they were away at Spurs a few days later... They were totally outplayed away from home... Therefore, tomorrow's match being another away game... I belief Chelsea will struggle again if Pool play to their normal standard. And I don't mean any special level, just their normal level will trouble Chelsea.
And on the Torres thing, I am not sure if its a good thing or a bad one... Against smaller sides, having Torres is great but against better sides, I am not too sure there cos if Pool have him, everything will get through him... and better sides have better defenders so just mark Torres and everything is shut out... But without him, their fringe players will get more chances and also the defenders don't have a priority to mark a certain player... and a goal could come from anywhere or anyone...
So I belief if Pool are up for this, they won't lose this match... And the longer it drags on, the chelsea players will get more nervous and start to play rougher... Anything less than a win for Chelsea tomorrow would be seen as a big disaster cos to be fair, United were actually dead where the title was concern 11 days into April... They were just given a slim chance to make this one last push...
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if liverpool hold or even defeat chelsea at anfield, I will be very surprised. since liverpool is out of running for 4th place already. if they lose to chelsea and villa winning, liverpool may not even finish top 6.
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Originally posted by Rooney9:
if liverpool hold or even defeat chelsea at anfield, I will be very surprised. since liverpool is out of running for 4th place already. if they lose to chelsea and villa winning, liverpool may not even finish top 6.
Villa lost to Man City yesterday. So, in logical, Pools might have chance to take over Spurs and Man City IF Pools win all 2 matched whereas Spurs and Man City get 1D 1L.