Frank Lampard Cautions Manchester United That Talk Is Cheap

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has warned Manchester United that all of the talk being done does not matter.

Last week United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wondered whether Chelsea could handle the strain of a close Premier League title race.

The Blues certainly showed no sign of nerves as they annihilated Stoke City 7-0 on Sunday to move back to the top of the Premier League after United took a brief lead when they beat Tottenham Hotspur a day earlier.

Lampard insists that what happens on the field is the only thing that concerns him, not what is being said in the newspapers.

“The talk doesn’t matter. All that matters is the concentration in the camp in training and in games,” Lampard told the Daily Star.

“We must approach games in the right way and get the right result. Now we are getting to the stage where the talk, well all it does is give column inches really. What matters is getting out there and playing.”

Chelsea will travel to Anfield to take on Champions League hopeful Liverpool on Sunday while United will take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later in the day.

With just two games remaining, Sunday’s games might decide who will go on to win the Premier League title.

Chelsea’s bid for their first title since the 2005-06 season will be enhanced by the news that Wayne Rooney’s status for United’s final two games is very much in doubt due to a groin injury.

Lampard admits that Rooney’s absence could be a big help to Chelsea, but believes that the Blues own injury problems are just as bad as their Premier League title rivals.

“It’s a boost that Wayne could miss the final two games.

“But we’ve lost Essien, we’ve lost Bosingwa, we’ve lost players like Joe Cole for parts of the season. So it all evens itself out.”

Salomon Kalou: Chelsea Will Lose At Liverpool If We Play Like We Did Against Tottenham Hotspur

Salomon Kalou has warned his Chelsea team-mates that they cannot afford to start Sunday's Premier League clash against Liverpool in the same way they played in their last away game, a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.

The Blues are just one point ahead of Manchester United in the title race, and with two games remaining know they cannot afford to drop points against Rafael Benitez's side.

Coming off the back of an emphatic 7-0 win against Stoke City on Sunday — in which Kalou scored three — the Ivorian is urging his team-mates to continue that form, rather than regress to the timid display that saw then beaten by their north London rivals.

“We have to go there and take control of the game,” Kalou said, according to The Independent.

“I feel at Tottenham, we let them play. We let them get comfortable with the ball and we have to go to Liverpool and play differently.

“We need to keep the ball and play our own game and not wait for Liverpool to take the initiative.

“Anfield will be a difficult journey, but we will be very motivated and know that if we win there, everything can be in our hands at home against Wigan.”

Liverpool will be without Fernando Torres for the game, who will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, but Kalou doesn't believe the absence of the striker makes the task at Anfield any easier for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

“Liverpool at home are still a strong team, even without Torres,” he said.

“It's true that if Torres played, it would be a plus for them, but I think they are still difficult to play at Anfield because they have that spirit at home and their supporters will push them 200 per cent."

United face Sunderland this weekend, and while Kalou doesn't rule out the Black Cats causing an upset, he is approaching the game with the mentality that Chelsea must not slip up.

“I think we have to win. There are two games to go and there's no other way of going about it. If you want to keep your chance at your end, you have to win every game," he said.

“I hope Manchester will go to Sunderland and drop some points, but you can only focus on your own game. If we take the three points, we don't worry about what Manchester do."

AC Milan Director Insists Chelsea Target Pato Will Stay At San Siro

AC Milan director Ariedo Braida has said that Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato will stay with the Rossoneri, despite reports linking him with a move to Chelsea.

The 20 year-old is in his third season at the San Siro, having signed from Brazilian side Internacional. He is enjoying a good campaign with AC Milan, having scored 14 goals in 28 appearances so far. Chelsea has been linked to Pato for some time, who averages one goal every two games during his entire AC Milan career.

There is reportedly a new financial reality at the San Siro which includes a maximum 4 million Euro salary for any player. AC Milan’s budgetary requirements fuelled rumours that the sale of an asset such as Pato is likely if the right offer is made.

Chelsea reportedly offered €45 million for the striker last summer and Real Madrid have also been said to show an interest. But AC Milan director Ariedo Braida told Italian website Tutto Mercato that rumours of Pato's exit are false.

Braida said, “Those stories that the Press are writing are only fantasies.

“It's useless to repeat once again that he is happy here in Milan and that there are no problems.

“Pato will not leave Milan.”

Chelsea Defender Cole Linked To Real Madrid Move With Mourinho

Ashley Cole is set to link up with his former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, according to the Daily Express.

Mourinho is on the verge of taking his Inter Milan side through to their first final of Europe's top club competition since 1972. Nonetheless, whatever the outcome of Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, the Daily Express claims that Mourinho has told Inter chiefs that this will be his last season at the San Siro.

The self-proclaimed 'special one' is set to take over at Real Madrid, unless one of England's top clubs, such as Liverpool or Manchester United comes calling, says the Daily Mail.

Should he take over at the Bernebeu, one of his first tasks will be to find a quality left-back, given the unimpressive form this season of Alvaro Arbeloa. The Daily Mail speculates that Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole will be one of Mourinho's immediate targets. The England international has endured a well-publicized problematic season both on and off the pitch and has only just returned to the Chelsea side from a broken foot.

Mourinho and Cole of course know each other well from their time together at Stamford Bridge and the Portuguese coach may well seek to surround himself with familiar players should he end up at Real Madrid .

Chelsea Wants Thomas Ince To Shape Future

Chelsea wants to poach Paul Ince’s teenage son Thomas from Liverpool as part of their drive for youth this summer.

Talented winger Thomas, 18, has been at Liverpool’s academy since he was 16 and is one of their most highly rated prospects. He is expected to make it into the first-team soon, at the club where his father spent two years.

Thomas has a year left on his Anfield contract and Chelsea scouts, under orders to bring bright young talent to Stamford Bridge, have watched him regularly. The club is trying to put together a deal to persuade Ince to come to London for the start of next season, but Liverpool is desperate to hang on to him.

Chelsea has also targeted two of Spain’s brightest starlets. Under-17 winger Pablo Sarabia, who plays for Real Madrid’s B team Castilla, has been watched extensively and could be signed for nothing at the end of the season, as he is currently involved in a contract dispute.

Sarabia is also on Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s wish list and the Gunners have already made inquiries, while Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola is also keen.

The £16million-rated Under-21 midfielder Javi Martinez of Athletic Bilbao, linked with a move to Liverpool last summer, is also a Chelsea target, with Blues owner Roman Abramovich wanting to place the emphasis on younger, cheaper talent.

Cole Linked With Top Trio

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan are all reported to be showing an interest in Ashley Cole with a view to a summer swoop.

Speculation over the future of Cole continues to mount and the trios are all waiting in the wings should the defender look to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Cole has just returned to full fitness and Chelsea will be loathe letting him go but rumours suggest the England international will ask to leave after the World Cup with Barca favourites to land him.

The European champions are keen to sign a new left-back and will target Cole, while there have also been suggestions that Blues target Dani Alves could move in the opposite direction as part of the deal.

Chelsea Star: I'm Going Home To Do Charity Work

Chelsea midfielder Deco has once again reiterated his desire to return to Brazil once his contract at Stamford Bridge ends in 2011. The diminutive playmaker, who took Portuguese citizenship in 2002 despite being born in Sao Paolo, moved to London from Barcelona in 2008 but has made clear that commitments, including charity work, will see him head back to the country of his birth.

Deco has been used sparingly by the Chelsea coaching staff since the departure of Luiz Felipe Scolari six months after his arrival, but with the proven quality to change any match he is still viewed as a useful option when injuries take their toll at the west London club. Still a key component of the Portuguese national side the midfielder will showdown against Brazil at this summer’s World Cup.

Speaking to FIFA.com about his plans for life after Chelsea, the 2004 UEFA Club Footballer of the Year revealed:

“I’m going to go back and live in Brazil for personal reasons, because my family’s there and I’ve been in Europe for 13 years now. I’ve got a huge amount of affection for Portugal and the city of Porto in particular, where I’ve got a house, but I was born in Brazil and my family is there, as is my social project the Deco Institute, in Indaiatuba.

“I want to go back and that’s what I’ll do when my Chelsea contract runs out in 2011. And if I’m fit enough to do a job for a Brazilian team then I’ll come back and play too.”

It is uncertain whether Chelsea will try and cash in on Deco this summer rather than let him leave on a free, although with the player hinting that he could retire within the next 18 months the London side would probably not receive particularly lucrative offers.

Pat Nevin: Wide Openings

A former winger himself, Pat Nevin has spotted where Chelsea have been doing the damage, and just where we can hurt Liverpool this weekend...

Sometimes even the best plans by the wisest men backfire badly. Sir Alex Ferguson's attempts to pile the pressure on the Chelsea players for the game against Stoke City appeared to have anything but the effect he aimed for. In fact the suggestions the United manager made about Chelsea getting edgy for a tough match obviously focused minds rather than befuddled them.

In the bigger picture however that was only a shot across the bows from the Scotsman. I have worked under Sir Alex in the brief time he was Scotland manager and can promise you that this week it will be all guns blazing from him before the Liverpool match. He will be trying to have an effect on not only our players but the Liverpool players as well, so be prepared for a media and psychological onslaught!

Now this isn't a complaint, after all we all knew that Jose Mourinho wasn't averse to a bit of psychology himself when he was our manager and even Carlo Ancelotti's deflection last week when he said he would watch a movie instead of the United v Spurs game was perfectly judged to relax his own players' minds. That is the way it is, the gloves are off and you have to deal with all the hits wherever they are coming from. So no complaints about Manchester United's manager, like I have said before on this page, if Chelsea does not win the title this season, the players will blame no one but themselves.

The game on Sunday was quite an experience considering how tough Stoke usually are on their travels. I am not sure if it was luck or design that Chelsea were sent out in such an attacking formation, I mean had Mikel been available he probably would have played and that immediately makes the midfield just that little bit more defensive. As it was the free flowing irresistible Chelsea were back on show just as they had been against Sunderland and Aston Villa earlier in the season at the Bridge.

There were a multitude of positives to look at in the game but one thing struck me more than anything else and it was obvious from the moment the first goal was scored. Chelsea used every inch of width available to them in this game. If ever a team want you to thump it long towards the centre of their defence it is Stoke, they relish this kind of battle. Even Didier Drogba would find it tough against the power of Tony Pulis's men when you play them at their own game. Pull them wide by switching the ball quickly however and it is a different story.

The ball sprayed from the left across the pitch to Drogba, whose first touch was so sublime Gianfranco Zola would have been proud of it, completely wrong-footed the visitors' defence.

They were so stretched that they didn't have time to get back into shape before Didier's second touch had smashed it across the goal and Salomon Kalou had nodded it in.

Of the seven goals scored five of them could be directly attributed to stretching the opposition defence with wide passes made at pace and delivered with accuracy. There have been times when it has been the team's Achilles heel that the width has not been used. Specifically against Inter at home it was all too narrow, and dare I say it, predictable. I accept Inter might be a slightly better side, with better defenders than Stoke and their coach isn't bad tactically but even very good defences are troubled when you stretch them.

There is a point to all this, honestly, and it is not just me standing up for the 'wingers union'. It is the fact that quite clearly the game that is going to win Chelsea the title is the one coming up at Anfield. Hopefully the Reds will be tired after some exertions on Thursday night in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final. Personally I am hoping for extra-time, penalties and a rough game with plenty of heavy tackles.

Even if all the Liverpool players do come through it unscathed, the already injured Torres will obviously not play; there are weak points in the Liverpool team. Up front they are not as potent without their Spanish striker, but it is in the full-back areas where they can be got at.

We know plenty about Glen Johnson of course, he is great at going forward and do you know what, he isn't that bad a defender either contrary to common consent. It is just that his forward play often leaves him out of position to do that defending. This is one of the reasons why Liverpool often play with an ultra defensive double sitting midfielder system.

On the other side at left back, Insua is for me a good way short of the standard that Liverpool usually have in their team. It may sound harsh but there are plenty of Liverpool fans who would privately agree with that statement. In fact Benitez may be tempted into using someone like Agger in there instead, but he is a converted centre-back. In short they have a problem defending from wide and Chelsea for me are at their best when they use the width as much as possible.

Like everyone who wants Chelsea to win the league I am taking nothing for granted, the White Hart lane debacle taught us that. In simple terms, if Chelsea play well and Liverpool play well, Chelsea will win because we have the better players and right here I am willing to be gracious and accept a 1-0 scoreline eschewing the need for another seven-goal hammering. Three this season is just spoiling us anyway.

Last week I asked who scored the goals for the away team last time I went to see Atletico Madrid. The answer was of course Didier Drogba as Chelsea were the away team visiting the Vicente Calderon. The winner chosen at random was Helen Payne from Aylesbury.