Kuwaiti Royal Family Keen Viewers At Chelsea vs Liverpool

The Kuwaiti royal family, long since linked with a move to buy an English soccer club, attended Chelsea's match with Liverpool this weekend, which ended in a 2-0 victory for the London team.

Though Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is not believed to be seeking any investment in his team, the same cannot be said of Liverpool's co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who have appointed Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Rothschild to advise on possible investments.

Last week Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah, a member of the ruling family of Saudi Arabia, claimed that he was close to agreeing a deal to invest in Liverpool. He attended the match against Hull last weekend to discuss tie-ups between F6, his investment company, and Gillett's Richard Petty Motorsports Nascar franchise, as well as the possibility of establishing Liverpool-supported youth academies in Saudi Arabia.

This weekend also saw more controversy for Liverpool, with Gillett reportedly criticising both Hicks and coach Rafa Benitez in an interview with a representative of the fans' union Spirit of Shankly.

Alberto Aquilani Hands Rafa Benitez Fitness Boost

Alberto Aquilani could finally get his Liverpool career up and running within a fortnight after Rafa Benitez today issued a positive fitness bulletin.

The Italian international has yet to kick a ball in anger for the Reds since his £20m move from Roma in August but his manager hopes that will all change within the month.

Benitez has been delighted with the way Aquilani has responded to treatment on the ankle which required surgery in the summer and is now tentatively looking for a suitable starting point to take the wraps off the 25-year-old.

An optimistic target would be for the playmaker to be involved in the squad for the first time in two weeks – when Lyon are due at Anfield for a crucial Champions League fixture – but Benitez is erring on the side of caution.

A more realistic target is likely to be the Carling Cup clash against Arsenal on October 28 and Benitez hopes he will see Aquilani take another big step forward with his rehabilitation during the international break.

“I have been speaking to the doctors and things are going well with him,” said Benitez.

“Alberto is progressing all the time. It could be two to three weeks before he is back.

“But we need to use caution. If it is two weeks everyone will say ‘that is fantastic’ but if it is three, everyone will say it is not a problem. I think that we have to be careful.

“We will take it one step at a time and we have the international break to look forward to now. That will be good for him, as he will have some more time (to recover without missing any games).”

Aquilani arrived at Anfield during the first week of August following Xabi Alonso’s departure to Real Madrid and there is little doubt his cunning and guile in the engine room will make him a welcome addition.

Clearly, though, it is going to take a period for Aquilani to get adjusted to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League and Benitez will, understandably, look to ease him to the team initially.

“He is running and swimming – I think he will have the record in the swimming pool by the end of his program – and he is working in the gym,” said Benitez.

“He is doing almost everything and he is doing some things with the team. The only thing he is not doing is kick a ball – not yet anyway.”

Liverpool Interested In Werder Bremen Forward Aaron Hunt

Premier League powerhouse Liverpool are considering making a move for versatile Werder Bremen forward Aaron Hunt, according to English paper The People.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is desperate to add another striker to his squad to support Fernando Torres, and the Spanish manager has reportedly made Hunt his primary target.

The 23-year-old attacker is a product of the Werder Bremen youth academy and has made well over 80 league appearances for the Hanseaten since making his official debut in September 2004.

Hunt has represented Germany at Under-21 level, but he also qualifies to play for England because of his English mother.

The attacker's current Werder Bremen deal is due to expire in the summer of 2010 and the Europa League contenders could be tempted to cash in on Hunt this winter if a good offer comes in.

Ian Rush: Martin Skrtel Is Looking Back To His Best For Liverpool FC

Martin Skrtel will have been as disappointed as anyone to have lost at Chelsea.

He’s had his moments this season in a back four which hasn’t been water-tight. But on Sunday the Slovakian had a terrific game, right back on form.

He has just needed games and now that he has them he’s improved his match fitness and sharpness.

Sunday was his best performance this season without question.

If he and the lads felt a bit down by the result they should remember one stat I heard as Liverpool’s title chances were being written off by some.

Liverpool have 15 points from eight games. Guess who had the same total at this stage last season?

Steve Bruce has done a really good job at Sunderland already this season.

He knows English football and the Premier League so well by now – and I’m sure he’ll have them safely in the top half of the table come the end of the campaign.

The fact Sunderland were bitterly disappointed not to bag all three points at Old Trafford on Saturday tells you they are a capable outfit.

So when we go there for our next league game it will be a stiff test.

But it’s clearly a test this Liverpool side is more than capable of passing.

Of course the international break means we will have to wait a while for our chance at Sunderland.

But if everyone comes back fit and on the day we can keep the Stadium of Light crowd quiet, then three very good points are there to win.

Morecambe Look At Lindfield

Morecambe have taken former Liverpool youngster Craig Lindfield on trial, skysports.com understands.

Lindfield is looking for a new club after having his contract at Liverpool cancelled by mutual consent.

The 21-year-old came through the ranks with the Reds and helped them win the FA Youth Cup in 2006 and 2007.

However, Lindfield failed to make the breakthrough into the Anfield first-team being sent out on loan to the likes of Notts County, Bournemouth, Chester City and Accrington Stanley in the last few years.

Lindfield had been on trial at Carlisle last month, but a deal failed to materialise.

Morecambe have now offered the talented striker the chance to win a move to Christie Park and Shrimps boss Sammy McIllroy will cast an eye over him in training before deciding whether or not to pursue his interest.

Glen Johnson Can Make England Place His Own, Says 66 Star George Cohen

The England World Cup winner George Cohen believes Fabio Capello has more or less settled on his defence for South Africa and believes Glen Johnson can make the right-back slot his own.

Cohen, who turns 70 later this month, believes a solid rearguard is key to success at next summer's finals. "Fabio Capello has still got to bring some more players into his squad, but he should know what his defence is now," said the former Fulham right-back who is an ambassador for the official England team sponsors Nationwide Building Society.

"Alf Ramsey had the same situation – the defence was marked out nine months before the World Cup finals, which was tried out against very good teams.

"We beat West Germany twice, Portugal, Spain, all those top teams before we actually won the World Cup, playing with a defence which was settled."

Much has been made of whether Johnson, 25, is up to the task at international level. The full-back, who left Portsmouth for Liverpool in a £17m summer move, has at times been caught out of position when linking up with the England attack.

Cohen believes the former West Ham trainee can be a potent weapon going forwards but should not forget his main duties at the other end. "Johnson has got a lot to think about," Cohen reflected. "He has got to get forward, and he is pretty good at that. He has got good distribution is fast and strong.

"Perhaps his positional play is not what it should be, but he should be learning all this right up until the day you finish playing football.

"As a youngster, I was taught through the old 'WM' formation, where you swivelled around just one centre-half, in what ever situation. But you go back, up, over and across as a team, keeping width and depth.

"Johnson does get caught out occasionally, but he will learn and learn very fast."

Cohen added: "The idea is to make sure the ball is in front of you and make sure you know where your man is. You are a defender first, and if an attack breaks down because of you, you are responsible and have to get back. Johnson is strong enough and powerful enough to do that.

"But why put yourself in that situation in the first place? That is the difference. I think he will learn and has got some time yet."

Capello has tried Manchester United's Wes Brown on the right side of defence, with his team-mate Gary Neville, who was at one time first choice for the role, admitting that, at 34, his international chances are probably over.

Cohen, though, feels Johnson now has the chance to establish himself in the role. "Gary Neville may come into the squad, but they have Brown who can fill in," he said. "Brown does not do badly there, but he is not necessarily a right full-back, so I think this kid [Johnson] will be OK."

George Gillett 'Blames Rafael Benítez' For Liverpool's Poor Start

Liverpool's co-owner George Gillett has reportedly defended his and Tom Hicks's reign at Liverpool and pointed the finger at the manager, Rafael Benítez, after a disappointing start to the season.

Liverpool's defeat at Chelsea on Sunday was their third in the Premier League this season and followed a 2-0 reverse at Fiorentina in the Champions League. According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, Gillett pointed to the investment he and Hicks have made when saying the owners were not responsible for any shortcomings.

"We have invested more money than our competitors, in keeping with the history of the club," he is quoted as telling a representative of the fans' group Spirit of Shankly last week. "In the last 18 months, we have invested £128m on top of what has come in.

"That means it should be getting better. Now if it's not getting better, it's not Gillett and Hicks; it's the manager; it's the scouting. You have to make sure you balance out your analysis. There was plenty of money, so if you have any complaints, take a look at the ins and outs."

Gillett said the £30m from Xabi Alonso's sale to Real Madrid "went straight back" into Bénitez's kitty and added to funds of "£22-23m as part of our budgets".

The American also claimed that Liverpool are "in an extraordinarily good financial position. Far better than Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal."

Agger - I Could Have Quit

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has revealed that he considered retiring during his injury nightmare.

The Denmark international underwent an operation on a back problem during pre-season and only returned to the Reds' bench for Sunday's defeat at Chelsea.

Agger's career has been disrupted by a number of fitness setbacks and the 24-year-old has revealed that he considered quitting during his most recent injury.

"My back was hurting so badly that I considered stopping playing," he told Jyllandsposten.

"I asked myself if it was worth continuing playing. When you can't even lift your own child out of bed, then something is terribly wrong."

Agger has been named in Denmark's squad for the World Cup qualifier with Sweden on Saturday, a selection which has earned criticism from Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez.

Martin Samuel: It's Tough At The Top For Benitez After Losing His Alonso X-Factor

The last English team to lose three of their first eight League games and go on to win the title were Manchester United in season 1966-67. We all know what happened next.

For those who believe in lucky omens, it stands to reason that from here Liverpool will collect their first title of the modern era in May and lift the European Cup at Wembley the following season. Leaving Stamford Bridge, however, Rafael Benitez did not look much like a man who was sensing a golden destiny in the stars.

He may have been contemplating another run dating back to March 22 last season when Liverpool defeated Aston Villa 5-0 at Anfield.

With the title race still very much alive at the time, Villa were, arguably, the last good team Liverpool beat in a match that mattered. On that day, anything seemed possible, certainly the imminent lifting of the Premier League trophy. Liverpool were coming off a 4-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, having already beaten Chelsea home and away. Steven Gerrard was in blistering form and his relationship with Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres was being hailed as the tactical masterstroke of the season.

Things change. Gerrard and Torres are still in situ, but Alonso is long gone and, suddenly, Liverpool are struggling against the best. This season they have lost to every good team they have played: Tottenham, Villa, Fiorentina and now Chelsea.

It is happening too often to be dismissed as a blip. On Sunday, Liverpool were inferior against a Chelsea team who had every reason to be fearful, coming off the back of defeat at Wigan and an unconvincing victory over APOEL Nicosia.

It was this fixture last season that put Luiz Felipe Scolari on the slippery slope to Uzbekistan and judgment was being reserved on his successor Carlo Ancelotti until it was over. Simply, he won: the match and the tactical battle.

This was a vindication of Ancelotti's diamond midfield and the subtle changes he has made to Chelsea's style of play. Liverpool, by contrast, looked predictable and threatened rarely.

The caution that has often been a flaw in Benitez's thinking returned. Yossi Benayoun, one of their most effective players this season, remained stranded on the bench until the 66th minute. Only when Chelsea were two clear did Liverpool spring to life and force a save from stand-in goalkeeper Henrique Hilario.

This was an opportunity lost and for 43 years of history to be overcome, Benitez must first solve the problem caused by Alonso's absence.

His task is made more complex by the fact it will not be an issue every week. Against weaker teams, the deep midfield partnership of Lucas and Javier Mascherano is perfectly adequate. Cutting the supply line to Gerrard is vital in beating Liverpool, but inferior teams cannot sustain it and the games against Hull, Stoke, West Ham, Burnley and Bolton have yielded five wins and 20 goals as a result.

The better sides, though, will usually deploy an expert defensive screen. Wilson Palacios was outstanding for Tottenham on the opening day of the season. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's tight midfield four squeezed the life out of Liverpool's middle men.

The move for the first goal began with Frank Lampard nailing Mascherano and while it was the earliness of Didier Drogba's cross for Nicolas Anelka that was the defining element, the build-up, which also involved Michael Essien and Deco, demonstrated the significance of Chelsea's superiority in midfield.

Lucas is young and does not deserve to be made the scapegoat - he was probably superior to Mascherano - but the fact is that Alonso was key to Liverpool's resurgence last season and without him they miss the urgency of his passes to Gerrard.

'Xabi Alonso was priceless for me,' Steven Gerrard explained when we met last month. 'The speed of his delivery was essential because it gave us the advantage over the defenders. I really miss him because I scored a lot of goals that were down to his speed of thought.

'The service, the way he controlled games, to lose that was big for us. He is one of the best in the world in that position.

He reminded me of Claude Makelele, one of those players who are only really appreciated by their team-mates. The Chelsea players would pay tribute to Makelele, Zinedine Zidane talked about him at Real Madrid, too. The speed those guys play the ball is scary.'

There was little scary about Liverpool. They were ponderous compared to Chelsea and even Torres suffered in comparison to Drogba. He set up both Chelsea goals and, despite the usual irksome antics, admiration won the day. With Deco at the forward point of Ancelotti's diamond and Lampard restored to his deeper role, Chelsea's mechanism is working again.

The fault in Liverpool's apparatus is simply identified, too; they have a missing part and it is not one that can be easily placed on order.

Sampdoria Starlet Andrea Poli Inspired By Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard

One of Sampdoria's protagonists in the early part of 2009-10 has been midfielder Andrea Poli, who has revealed he draws inspiration from Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

"I know I'm young and still need to improve," he explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'm also sure that Samp is the best club to help me achieve this goal. Here I have found people who are available to me and a trainer who is keen to teach talented players."

Asked who his role models are, he replied, "In Italy, I am inspired by [Daniele] De Rossi, [Andrea] Pirlo and [Angelo] Palombo. Looking abroad I like [Cesc] Fabregas, [Frank] Lampard and [Steven] Gerrard, who for me is the best midfielder in the world.

"One day I'd like to meet him and ask for his autograph."

The 20-year-old had a successful spell on-loan at Sassuolo last year and has been touted as a star of the future.

Don't Write Off Liverpool, Says Carlo Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti has refused to write off Liverpool despite helping land a further blow to their title challenge.

Ancelotti led Chelsea to a 2-0 victory over their championship rivals at Stamford Bridge yesterday.

Goals from former Anfield striker Nicolas Anelka and substitute Florent Malouda sent Liverpool tumbling to their third defeat in just eight Premier League games this season.

But Ancelotti said: “I think it’s a long way to the end of the season and Liverpool has the quality to do a very good season.

“We played against a strong team and it was a difficult game until the very end. We got a very good three points against a very good team.”

Kjaer Refuses To Rule Out Utd

Palermo defender Simon Kjaer says he would not turn down a move to Manchester United just because he is a Liverpool fan.

The Red Devils are reportedly keeping tabs on the Denmark international, who has been linked with a number of top clubs in the past, including Real Madrid and Liverpool.

While the centre-back and is a huge Reds fan, he has admitted that if his chances to play regularly at Old Trafford were greater he would opt for the Red Devils.

The 20-year-old told Tipsbladet: "If United just had two defenders whilst Liverpool had three, I would choose United without hesitation.

"It does not help to choose with the heart in that kind of situation. I am a professional."

Carragher Eyes Reds Revival

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is confident the Reds will be ready for a vital week that could turn their season around.

Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea was the Reds' third defeat of the season and the result leaves them six points adrift of Carlo Ancelotti's pacesetters. But Carragher refuses to be downcast and insists Liverpool will bounce back against Sunderland and Manchester United in the league and Lyon in Europe.

"It's never nice to lose before an international break, particularly a game as big as that, but we have got to put it behind us," he said.

"It would have been good to send the international lads away with a bit of a buzz but it wasn't to be and now it's a case of putting it behind us.

"When we get back to it, we have got a massive week coming up with those games against Sunderland, United and Lyon.

"But every week you have as a Liverpool player is massive and we know we'll have to be at our best to get going again at Sunderland, as they are in good form."

Liverpool matched Chelsea in a thrilling opening half at Stamford Bridge but mistakes from Javier Mascherano and some sloppy defending from Carragher allowed Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda to score in the second period.

The errors are something Carragher admits must be improved on quickly if the Reds are to remain in the title hunt.

"I thought we played quite well and did all right for most of the game yet we have still come away with a 2-0 defeat," he added.

"It's the small details that are so important at this level and we know that there are certain areas we have got to improve. There's a gap at the top and we've got to close it."

Chelsea Defeat Leaves Liverpool Fighting English Soccer History

Less than a quarter of the way through the season, Liverpool has lost more Premier League games than it did in the whole of the last campaign.

The Reds, who last won the league in 1990, went down 2-0 at Chelsea, leaving the 18-time champion six points behind the table-topping Stamford Bridge team through eight of 38 games.

Five-time European champion Liverpool has also been beaten this season by Tottenham and Aston Villa after losing just twice in finishing second to Manchester United in May. No team since United in the 1966-67 campaign has lost three of the opening eight games and gone on to claim the league.

“You will see the top sides losing more points against any team,” Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez told reporters after yesterday’s game. “We have to keep going. We can’t just think about losing three games.”

Goals from Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda moved Chelsea atop the standings, two points ahead of Manchester United, which is also seeking a record 19th title after securing the championship for a third straight year last season.

Didier Drogba set up both goals for Chelsea, which rebounded after losing its unbeaten league record at Wigan on Sept. 26.

The Ivorian powered down the left wing before squaring for strike partner Anelka to open the scoring in the 59th minute. Then, in the last minute of regulation time, Drogba set up substitute Malouda from the opposite flank to guarantee the victory.

“Didier provided very good support for Nicolas and Malouda,” Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “But I think all the players worked very hard. If you want to win against Liverpool and other big teams all the players have to work hard.”

Liverpool’s approach made it difficult for Chelsea to adopt the open style Ancelotti has tried to impose since joining on July 1, the coach said.

“They had a very good defensive organization,” the former AC Milan coach said. “They don’t leave space in their midfield.”

Xabi Alonso, who was sold to Real Madrid preseason, scored the only goal in Liverpool’s win at Stamford Bridge last season. The Oct. 26 result ended Chelsea’s 86-game unbeaten home run in the league.

Lucas, Alonso’s replacement in midfield, failed to supply striker Fernando Torres with the service he needed to trouble the home team.

Torres, the league’s top scorer with eight goals, fluffed a header with 15 minutes remaining and missed from close range when the score was 1-0.

“I can’t blame any one of the players because they were working so hard,” Benitez said. “Torres was trying to do his job.”

It’s too early to predict whether the title will return to west London for the first time since 2006, Ancelotti said.

“Now we stay top of the list and we prepare for the next games with concentration and determination,” he said. “Our season depends on us.”

Skrtel Rues Denied Penalty

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel believes his side should have been awarded a first-half penalty in the defeat to Chelsea.

Skrtel, whose side slumped to their third defeat of the season after Sunday's 2-0 reverse, claimed the Reds were denied a spot-kick before the break after the defender was pulled down in the box by striker Didier Drogba.

"A cross was flying to the near post where I was and I was jumping to make a header," Skrtel told SITA.

"At that moment Drogba clearly pulled me down with his hands. I think it should have been a penalty kick for us."

Liverpool's title hopes have whittled further following the loss at Stamford Bridge and Skrtel admits he is keen to erase Sunday's result from his memory ahead of a round of international fixtures.

The centre-back's attention now turns to World Cup qualification with Slovakia, who face a crunch clash against Slovenia on Saturday, and the 23-year-old is now focussed on the weekend game.

Skrtel added: "Naturally, we all feel very sorry about the result. Chelsea scored two goals while we scored none despite creating some good opportunities. That's why they won.

"At the moment I'm feeling the disappointment from the Chelsea game but I'm looking forward to the international meet-up."

Match Report: Chelsea 2 - 0 Liverpool

Chelsea returned to the top of the Premier League on Sunday as goals from Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda clinched an impressive 2-0 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

Carlo Ancelotti's side opened up a two-point gap over second placed Manchester United. But perhaps more importantly, the victory over another of the main title contenders restored Chelsea to winning ways after their 3-1 defeat at Wigan last weekend.

After a tight first half, former Liverpool striker Anelka opened the scoring when he converted Didier Drogba's cross. Drogba was the provider again in stoppage time as he over-powered Jamie Carragher and crossed for Malouda to slide home.

Defeat leaves Liverpool six points behind Chelsea and Rafa Benitez's side have now lost three times in their first eight league games after losing just twice through the whole of last season.

Chelsea were without first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech, who served his suspension following his red card against Wigan, so Hilario was between the posts.

But while Ancelotti's side were without Cech, they were buoyed by the return of Drogba.

The Ivory Coast striker missed the 1-0 win in the Champions League over Apoel Nicosia in midweek owing to his European ban.

Drogba's value to Chelsea is best illustrated by his return of six goals in seven league games going into this fixture.

And here he looked invigorated after his break when he chased down Deco's through-ball in the third minute forcing Carragher into a last-ditch tackle.

Although new to the English league, Ancelotti is no stranger to Liverpool. The Italian was manager of AC Milan in 2007 when they beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Champions League final in Athens - a victory that avenged Milan's defeat to the Reds in the final of the same competition in Istanbul two years earlier.

Benitez would love to repeat another victory in the Champions League this season and in striker Fernando Torres has a world-class player which would help him achieve it.

Torres, fresh from his hat-trick against Hull, has gone on record saying he is determined to end the club's three-year wait for a trophy.

And his team-mates looked to have taken that message on board as the visitors started this match the brighter with Steven Gerrard whipping in some dangerous crosses from the right.

But it was Chelsea who had the first shot on target in the 25th minute when Jose Reina was forced to save from Drogba's header.

Reina then needed to be alert moments later when Anelka tried his luck with a neat header. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard also tried his luck, but his free-kick from distance was a long way off target.

But just as Chelsea were beginning to find their feet in this match, Albert Riera's free-kick in the 43rd minute nearly squeezed past Hilario at the far post.

After the restart it was Chelsea who looked most likely to make the breakthrough, and so it proved in the 60th minute.

Anelka finished off a neat move after Lampard had disposed Javier Mascherano and fed Deco. The Portugal midfielder in turn played the ball for Drogba and his cross from the left was perfect for Anelka to poke home.

Drogba came close to adding a second with a long-range free-kick which skidded past Reina's right post. But substitute Malouda did add a second in the 90th minute when he turned in Drogba's cross at the far post.

Benitez - We Can Still Challenge

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez believes his side can still challenge for the title despite going down 2-0 at Chelsea to suffer their third defeat of the season.

Nicolas Anelka opened the scoring on the hour mark before Florent Malouda made the game safe with Didier Drogba creating both goals for the hosts.

The Reds rarely troubled stand-in goalkeeper Hilario and have now lost more times in their opening eight matches than they did all the way through last season.

It is more than 40 years since any team have gone on to win the top-flight crown after losing three of their first eight games, but Benitez is unconcerned by the statistics.

"I feel the performance wasn't bad against a good team," said Benitez. "We worked hard, had some good play.

"Defensively we were good enough. They didn't have too many chances, so we were defending better. We didn't have too many chances, which means they're also a good team.

"But if you make a mistake against a good team, they score. The game was a bit more open after they scored and we had some chances but you have to take those if you want to come back into the game.

"Our target has to be the next game. It's important to keep calm, keep working, improving. We came up against a good team doing well today, so we have to focus on the next game.

"This year, the top sides will lose points against the other teams, so the main thing is to try and improve and do better each week. We will try to do better against Sunderland.

"We drew a lot of games last season. We lost just two but people were telling me about the draws. Now we're winning more and losing a few but maybe we'll have more points."

Midfielder Javier Mascherano lost possession for Chelsea's opener but Benitez refused to single out any of his team.

"I cannot blame any one of the players," he added. "We have to be pleased with the team effort.

"We made some mistakes but I was happy with the team effort. That was something we wanted to do. We were right 90 per cent of the time.

"But it's a long race. Chelsea are very strong but we'll try to stay as close as possible and see what happens in April and May.

"You will see the top sides losing more points against any team. That's good for the Premier League, for the competition, but it means we have to keep going. We can't think about three defeats.

"It's one game at a time, try to win the next game and improve. That's it."

Lucas Fails To Step Up To The Mark

There is a feeling that Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez can be a little too stubborn for his own good at times and he is putting his reputation in unnecessary jeopardy by belligerently backing misfiring midfielder Lucas.

Few Liverpool observers are convinced that the Brazilian midfielder has what it takes to claim a regular role in the heart of Benitez's side and his woeful performance in the defeat against Fiorentina on Tuesday night did little to silence the army who believe he would be more effectively employed as a bench warmer.

As it is, Benitez seems hell-bent on standing by a player he has long promoted as a star in the making, even though Lucas looks out of his depth against the better sides in the Premier League. He showed signs of life against the lesser lights Liverpool have come up against this season; when the chips were down against Tottenham and Aston Villa, Lucas went missing.

The same was true in this game at Stamford Bridge. He may have been helped by the return of Javier Mascherano after the Argentine missed the midweek trip to Florence, yet Lucas was anonymous and ineffective against rivals who rarely felt threatened by his presence.

Hard working and willing to give his all to the cause he may be, yet Lucas offers little more than uncreative energy to this Liverpool side. Indeed, by the time Benitez belatedly gave up on his "hero" by replacing him late on, this game was slipping out of Liverpool's grasp and a third Premier League defeat of the season was assured.

Quite where Benitez and Lucas go from here is anyone's guess. The imminent return to fitness of summer signing Alberto Aquilani may give the little Brazilian a chance to rebuild his eroded confidence in the reserves, but it seems as if he has a lot to do before he reaches the levels expected of him in a team hoping to challenge for the Premier League. However, such is Benitez's determination to prove those who doubt Lucas wrong that he will almost certainly be starting when Liverpool travel to face in-form Sunderland in their next league outing two weeks from now. Another defeat and their fading title bid would be all but over.

Such sweeping conclusions may be a little premature in the first weekend of October, yet such is the life of a Premier League manager and a player who appears to be falling below the grade.

Chelsea would have been suffering a similarly withering backlash if their indifferent week had continued with a second successive league defeat and yet they returned to the top of the table as the two key moments in this game went in their favour.

All too often, games between these sides have turned into dour stalemates and this was another morbid scrap for long periods. Liverpool may have started brightly, but their early enthusiasm waned all too quickly as the first half failed to sparkle.

To start with, we didn't even have the familiar side show of Drogba taking on the Reds back line by fair or foul means as we had to wait until the 33rd minute for his first battle with long-standing adversary Jamie Carragher. Drogba was to have a more prominent role in the second half.

The Chelsea striker spent much of the opening ten minutes of the first half rolling around as if a sniper was taking shots at him from the crowd. Liverpool supporters are not alone in believing the Ivory Coast marksman adds a little too much theatrical content to his play at times and it seemed as if this was going to be another day when he put his play-acting ahead of his sporting prowess.

However, the frustrating and brilliant Drogba often work in tandem and thus was the case again. His cross for Nicolas Anelka's opener was perfectly weighted before Drogba provided Florent Malouda with the second goal that killed off Liverpool in the closing stages.

As he held off the challenges of determined opponents to create Malouda's goal, Drogba proved he is more than capable of standing up to the most heated of physical confrontations. Why does the experienced footballer persist in indulging in his embarrassing tumbling antics when he has so much to offer the game?

Drogba's manager was not complaining as he toasted a much-needed victory in a week when the side went down to a shock defeat at Wigan and then played poorly against Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League.

"Liverpool are a strong team and made it very difficult for us," said Carlo Ancelotti. "We stayed compact and struck at the right moment on the counter attack. Our concentration was excellent and hopefully we can now feel as if we can forget about our bad performances of the last few days."

Benitez refused to hit the panic button when he was presented with a predictable set of negative questions from the press pack. "I felt that we were doing a good game and working hard, but then the small details went in Chelsea's favour," was the view of a surprisingly upbeat Benitez.

"They took their chances and we didn't. We felt as if we were in control until they scored and then things changed. We have to keep going as this is a long race. Yes were are disappointed, but the main thing is we can come back. There were some positives from this game."

The real question Benitez must answer in the next fortnight is whether he continues to lobby for a player who is not contributing enough to deserve re-election. After this latest no-show, Lucas's reputation must have hit rock bottom among Liverpool followers.

Torres Aims For Silverware

Fernando Torres admits it would be a "massive blow" if Liverpool finished this season with no silverware.

The Spain striker, who scored the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final to secure his country's first major trophy for 44 years, arrived at Anfield two years ago from Atletico Madrid but has yet to claim any honours with the Reds.

He is determined to put that right this season and would love to help clinch the club's first league title in 20 years.

"It is so important for me to get my first club medal with Liverpool but I am young, I am just 25," said Torres, who will be looking to add to his tally of five goals in six appearances against Chelsea when Rafael Benitez's side visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

"I have won top honours with Spain now and, yes, there is a desperation to win a trophy for the fans at Liverpool.

"Three years without a trophy is too much for Liverpool and especially the Premier League - it is far too long for this club.

"We have to improve and try to win the league, the Champions League or maybe a cup because to go another season and have four years without a trophy would be a massive blow for Liverpool.

"After winning the European Championship with Spain I know exactly how it feels to win a major trophy and I know that, if we can win at Liverpool, it will feel the same or even better than it did with Spain."

Ancelotti - Reds Miss Alonso

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti believes Liverpool have 'lost something' following the summer departure of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid.

Ancelotti is well aware of Alonso's influence having been impressed by the Spaniard's pairing with Javier Mascherano during his former club AC Milan's UEFA Champions League final clash with Liverpool in 2007.

Alonso's return to Spain has seen Lucas Leiva step into midfield alongside Mascherano, but the Brazilian has yet to convince in the role.

And, ahead of Liverpool's visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Ancelotti does not believe the Reds' engine room is as strong as it was.

"The midfield of Liverpool put a lot of pressure on you because Alonso and Mascherano were fantastic players," said Ancelotti.

"Lucas is a young player and he has to get experience. I think he will be a very good midfielder, but without Alonso, they have lost something."

Meanwhile, Lucas believes the focus of Liverpool's ups and downs should be on the whole team, and not just star duo Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

"I don't think it is healthy that some people blame individuals when the team is losing," said Lucas in the Sunday Mirror.

"Everyone knows Gerrard and Torres are world-class players who are very important to Liverpool.

"But Liverpool aren't about individuals. We should not be about blaming certain people. If we win, we do it because we are a team. If we lose, it is exactly the same.

"My belief is that individuals can only play well if the whole team is playing well and that includes Stevie and Nando.