Chelsea, Liverpool to clash

LONDON – Stung by strong words from managers Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez, Chelsea and Liverpool go head to head on Sunday each knowing that a defeat could mean losing ground on leader Manchester United.

While defending champion United is confident of beating Sunderland at home and stretching its league and cup winning streak to nine, third place Liverpool has to overcome the shock of a 2-0 Champions League loss to Fiorentina which had Benitez blasting his players.’I have never seen this team of mine struggle as much as we did in the first half,’ the Liverpool manager said after Tuesday’s loss. ‘I was just so disappointed because we made so many mistakes and were made to pay for them.’The Liverpool players said they had not seen Benitez so angry about a performance.’I think this was the most annoyed we have seen the manager, but we were all annoyed,’ said leftback Fabio Aurelio. ‘We didn’t need harsh words at half time. We all knew that we were not playing well and that we had to be much better.’ Team captain Steven Gerrard said the team, which is three points behind United, had to improve quickly before taking on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.’It was a really disappointing night for us. We just didn’t turn up and we were second best all over the pitch,’ he said. ‘Now we’ve got a massive game at Chelsea on Saturday. We have to get this result out of our system quickly and show a reaction at Stamford Bridge.’ Although Chelsea captured a 1-0 victory at APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League on Wednesday, Ancelotti was unhappy with the way his team played, especially because it came after a 3-1 loss at Wigan on Saturday which allowed United to go top on goal difference.’It was a good result but perhaps not a good performance,’ Ancelotti said of Wednesday’s game. ‘I’m not satisfied. I wanted Chelsea to play better and to take more control, to play with courage.’We have to play better. I’m not angry with the players. I have a lot of faith in this team and these players. I was a player for a lot of years myself, and I know when things don’t go well.’Suspended from the Champions League game, Didier Drogba returns to the Chelsea attack against a Liverpool strikeforce that has Fernando Torres in top form. The Liverpool striker leads the Premier League scoring list with eight goals while Drogba, who has set up an effective partnership with Nicolas Anelka, has six.United faces Sunderland without Michael Owen, who went off after only 20 minutes of Wednesday’s Champions League 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg with a recurrence of a groin strain.That means United will probably field Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov up front against a Sunderland side which is going well under former United defender Steve Bruce. Sunderland strikers Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones have scored 10 league goals between them. Fourth place Tottenham, which is also three points behind United, visits lowly Bolton and Manchester City, level with Spurs but with a game in hand on the teams above, is not in action until Monday, when it visits seventh-place Aston Villa. Arsenal, which has won five league and cup games in a row and has not conceded in the last four, should stretch those runs at home to Blackburn. Arsenal also have a game in hand on most of its rivals and Arsene Wenger hopes to mark becoming the longest serving Arsenal manager with another victory to show his young team has the potential to win the title.Last place Portsmouth, which has lost its first seven games, hopes to pick up the club’s first points at Wolves.Saturday’s other games are: Burnley vs. Birmingham and Hull vs. Wigan. On Sunday, it’s Everton vs. Stoke and West Ham vs. Fulham.Newcastle has taken over at the top of the League Championship, leading West Bromwich Albion by three points and hopes to stay there by beating Bristol City at home on Saturday. West Brom has a tough game at third place Preston. – Nampa-AP