Chelsea Target Marek Hamsik Set To Stay At Napoli Until 2015

Long-term Chelsea target, playmaker Marek Hamsik, is poised to extend his Napoli contract until 2015.

The 22-year-old midfield maestro has been linked with a host European clubs, most prominently Chelsea, but his agent says that he has now agreed a deal to stay at Italian side Napoli where he is both star player and captain.

Hamsik’s agent Juraj Venglos told Napoli.net, “It’s a contract more financially advantageous than previous offers. Both Marek and Napoli are satisfied with the extension.”

Hamsik, who captained Slovakia at the World Cup Hamsik is one of the greatest talents in European football, who, although young, is a complete midfielder.

Hamsik has wonderful technique, demonstrated by his goal-scoring, his wonderful vision, excellent passing, great crossing and dazzling dribbling skills. He is also well-built and strong enough to compete at the highest level.

Although Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is thought to be a big admirer of Hamsik and is very familiar with him from his days in Serie A, it looks as if the Italian has lost out for now.

Chelsea & Manchester United Keep Close Tabs On Wesley Sneijder's Stumbling Contract Talks At Inter

Manchester United and Chelsea are on the alert after Wesley Sneijder's agent claimed that the player's negotiations regarding a new contract at Inter have broken down, The Daily Mirror reports.

The Serie A giants apparently wanted the midfielder to sign a new deal that would last until 2015, but his agent is now claiming that the Milanese have "broken their promises".

"Financially we can't work out a deal. Negotiations have been called off and will only be restarted if Inter will show some willing," Soren Lerby, Sneijder's representative, said.

The 26-year-old was a key part of last season's treble-winning team under Jose Mourinho, but has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford and that may yet become more likely if relations with his current club continue to regress.

Drogba: 'Chelsea Can Score In Any Game At Any Time'

Didier Drogba has warned anyone trying to stop him and Nicolas Anelka that the club's strikers are just as good at setting up goals as scoring them.

Chelsea have already hit an incredible 21 goals in five league games so far this season - 29 in all competitions - and go to Manchester City on Saturday with confidence at an all-time high.

City are certain to mark five-goal Drogba and six-goal Nicolas Anelka tightly but the Ivory Coast star says it won’t prevent another team-mate putting the ball in the net instead.

Winger Florent Malouda already has seven goals this season, for instance, while Salomon Kalou has five - many of them set up by Drogba.

Drogba said: "There are players in our team who can score goals but those same players are capable of giving assists.

"It helps if I can go outside to the right or left to make some space and I know that Nico (Anelka) or Flo (Malouda) will move up front in that situation. They both show that understanding and the desire to score goals, so it makes things really interesting.

"And you can’t forget what Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge have brought us because they give fresh legs and different options. We know we have the quality in the dressing room to make the difference at any time in any game.

"This is going to be important in tight games because our opponents will know that a chance could come from a good pass by a striker or by a good strike from a midfielder.

"It’s good to have so many players with these qualities and to be able to make goals from different situations."

Chelsea scored a club record 142 goals in all competitions last season as they won the Double (103 of them in the Premier League) but already look on course to overtake that total this time. And Drogba reckons Chelsea’s goal power is a result of years of playing together - with a large proportion of the squad having been at Stamford Bridge for many seasons.

"The fluidity comes because we know each other so well now and that makes things easier for you on the pitch," he said. "That understanding is there because we’ve been together such a long time so we know more or less what we have to do."

Jon Obi Mikel Admits He Would Be Scared To Face Chelsea Attack

Jon Obi Mikel has admitted his relief that he doesn't have to face Chelsea's fearsome attack.

The Blues have begun the defence of their Premier League title in a free scoring fashion, with 21 goals being fired in. This ruthless edge has seen them collect all 15 points available while rivals Manchester United and Arsenal have dropped four behind.

With the first big test of the season coming this weekend with the match against Manchester City, Obi Mikel was in confident mode the attack would keep up the club's momentum.

"If I was a defender playing against Chelsea, I would be very scared because you don't know where we're going to come from - we have Ashley Cole bombing forward on the left side all the time," the Nigeria midfielder as quoted as saying by skysports.com.

"So it is hard to know what to expect when we have all these players bombing forward all the time.

"If you look at our front three, none of them have a static position, they are all moving around.

"It is the same with the midfield although I tend to stay a little bit more because I cannot afford to leave that position.

"Playing that way helps us a lot while the other team is thinking about whether to follow Nicolas Anelka's runs, Frank Lampard or Michael Essien."

Levallois SC To Name Stadium After Didier Drogba

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will have the honour of seeing a stadium named after him in France, according RMC.

The French fourth division club Levallois Sporting has announced that its new stadium will be named after Didier Drogba during the inauguration ceremony on September 29 in the town of Levallois-Perret near Paris.

Drogba had played youth football with Levallois when he was 15, before moving to Le Mans in 1997.

The club said Drogba would be present at the ceremony.

Match Report: Chelsea 3 - 4 Newcastle United

Newcastle's Shola Ameobi sent 10-man Chelsea crashing out of the Carling Cup with a 90th-minute winner in a seven-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea, who lost Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun through injury, had taken a sixth-minute lead through young left-back Patrick Van Aanholt only for United to storm back and lead at the interval thanks to goals from Nile Ranger and Ryan Taylor.

Shola Ameobi made it 3-1 to United four minutes after the re-start but two goals from Nicolas Anelka (69, 86) looked to have taken the tie into extra-time.

However, Ameobi headed the winner from a Jonas Gutierrez corner in the 90th minute to earn United a deserved place in round four.

Chelsea made a dream start when left-back Van Aanholt crowned his full debut with a goal.

The left-back drilled an angled shot into the corner after being set up superbly by Gael Kakuta.

But Newcastle were level against the run of play in the 26th minute.

Shane Ferguson's left-wing cross caused problems in the Chelsea defence and when John Terry failed to clear, Ranger stole in on the blind side of Van Aanholt to level.

Ranger then squandered a great chance to put Newcastle 2-1 in front on the half-hour.

Great work by Gutierrez on the left saw him deliver a low cross into the Chelsea six-yard box but the ball spun off the foot of Ranger to the relief of home fans.

Chelsea centre-half Jeffrey Bruma was lucky to escape with just a yellow card for a foul on Ameobi in the 32nd minute as Newcastle continued to dominate.

Taylor punished Bruma and Chelsea for the foul when the Newcastle midfielder sent the ball around the wall and into the top corner.

Ameobi then caused more problems for Chelsea in the 35th minute but his angled shot was cleared off the line by Van Aanholt.

Taylor was lucky to remain on the pitch in the 40th minute when he brought down Van Aanholt but referee Phil Dowd opted to lecture him instead of producing a second yellow.

Chelsea made two changes at half-time with striker Kalou and defender Alex replacing Gael Kakuta and Terry.

But the changes had little time to take effect as United went further in front in the 49th minute.

Paulo Ferreira's pass went straight to the feet of Ameobi who ran on unchecked to fire a 25-yard drive beyond Ross Turnbull.

It was the first time Chelsea had conceded three goals at home since Manchester City's 4-2 demolition of the Blues in February.

The night got worse for Chelsea in 53rd minute when Kalou went down with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

The Ivory Coast striker was taken off on a stretcher and replaced by teenage midfielder Josh McEachran.

The youngster was quickly into the game and Tim Krul had to be alert to save his 20-yard shot in the 59th minute.

The misery continued for the Blues in the 62nd minute when Benayoun turned his ankle and was forced to leave the field.

It left the home side down to 10-men but still they battled on with Alex sending a 20-yard effort against the outside of the right-hand upright.

Chelsea reduced the deficit in the 69th minute when Van Aanholt's cross was turned home by Anelka.

In the 82nd minute, a cross from Lovenkrands was met by Ranger at the far post but Turnbull saved at the second attempt.

It allowed Chelsea to sensationally equalize in the 86th minute when substitute Cheik Tiote was harshly adjudged to have fouled Alex and Anelka scored from the spot-kick.

Ferreira smashed an 88th minute volley against the upright as Chelsea looked for a winner.

But it was Newcastle who earned a place in the fourth round when Ameobi rose above Bruma to head the winner from a Gutierrez corner.

Two Chelsea Starlets Leave Drogba Drooling

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has praised the club’s latest batch of youngsters, suggesting the Carling Cup affords them the perfect opportunity to impress Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti. In particular, the Ivorian singled out Josh McEachran for special praise, intimating the 17-year-old Englishman has all the necessary credentials to become a first team regular at the club.

McEachran is widely considered to be the most promising of Chelsea’s emerging talent, having starred during the club’s Youth Cup triumph last season, and again for the England Under-17s in the recent European Championships.

Ancelotti is rumoured to have rejected several offers to take the starlet on loan during the summer, suggesting the club feels the former public schoolboy has the necessary credentials to make inroads into Chelsea’s first team this season.

Already a regular in the England Under-19 setup, Drogba claims the prodigious youngster, alongside the more established Gael Kakuta, is the finest prospect he has ever seen at the club.

Speaking ahead of their League Cup tie against Newcastle United, the towering forward told Chelsea TV: “These kind of games gives us a chance to see our young players who did well last year.

“It's good for them to have some minutes on the pitch and to see the difference between being a reserve and a Premier League player.

“They will improve and this game is going to be good for them.

He continued: “McEachran is one of the best midfielders I have seen since I have been here. Him and Kakuta are very good players.

“Gael won the European Under-19 Championships with France in the summer and is improving being with us.”

Injury Worries For Ancelotti

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti was more concerned with injuries to Gael Kakuta, Yossi Benayoun and Salomon Kalou than he was by their Carling Cup exit to Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.

A last-minute goal from Shola Ameobi earned Newcastle a place in the fourth round in a seven-goal thriller in west London. But the loss of two key players and a talented youngster were uppermost in the mind of the Italian coach ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Manchester City at Eastlands.

''Kakuta had a problem on his leg after the tackle in first half while Benayoun's injury is his calf and Kalou hurt his thigh,'' said Ancelotti. ''We will know more on Thursday but they don't look good. The will miss the next few games.

''These things can happen in football. It was a strong tackle on Kakuta and he was unlucky. The problem with his back is from the fall.''

Ancelotti was at odds with the Newcastle bench when the Italian waved an imaginary card at referee Phil Dowd in a bid to get Taylor sent off in the second half.

''I tried because this is football,'' he joked. ''Maybe it is the last time I do this. I was excited because the match was very good. We were 3-1 down with 10 men and I was excited by this but I showed respect for everyone.

''I am disappointed with the result but happy with the performance. We had a fantastic reaction when down 3-1 and it was 10 against 11. There was good spirit and personality from the young players. The game was very difficult but at the end we are happy for the performance of our players.

''The Carling Cup is not our priority. We have a very big game this weekend. We wanted to give opportunity to our young players to improve their skills and rest some of first team players. I am not so disappointed.

''We did our best. I am disappointed for the result because we conceded four goals, but the performance was good.''

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton insisted he never saw any untoward actions from Ancelotti and was, not surprisingly, delighted by the performance of his players. He was disappointed with the penalty award when Alex went down under the challenge of substitute Cheik Tiote.

''We showed great character and great finishing to get back in the game,'' said Hughton. ''But I never saw anything from Ancelotti. The equalizer for them to get back 3-3 was the softest penalty you will ever see and it got them back in the game. Fortunately, it was us that stopped the game going to extra-time.

''I didn't think it was a penalty. That is an understatement. It disappointed me because at that stage we hang on and win 3-2. If we had not got the winner and it had gone to extra-time, it would have been a travesty.

''This was a game that most people felt we couldn't win irrespective of what side they put out. It speaks volumes for the players in the changing room. Hopefully it will give us the momentum to go into the next few games.''

Frank Lampard Could Miss Chelsea Trip To Manchester City After Breaking Down In Training

Frank Lampard is doubtful for Chelsea’s crunch Premier League trip to Manchester City after breaking down in training.

Lampard, who had hernia surgery at the start of the month, was originally pencilled in for the visit to West Ham 12 days ago but fears his return to action could now be delayed even longer.

He has aggravated his groin in training this week and told friends at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night that he faces a race against time to make the eagerly anticipated City clash.

The durable midfielder, who has been a virtual ever-present in the Chelsea starting line-up since joining the club in 2001, has now missed the Double winners’ last four games, as well as England’s two Euro 2012 qualifiers earlier this month, since limping out of Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Stoke on August 29.

His possible absence presents another headache for manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose team were reduced to 10 men in the second half of the 4-3 Carling Cup defeat to Newcastle on Wednesday after Salomon Kalou, Yossi Benayoun and Gael Kakuta all broke down.

Kalou was stretchered off with a thigh injury, Benayoun limped off with a calf injury while Kakuta was substituted at half-time with a back problem.

Ancelotti confirmed that Kalou and Benayoun were due to have scans this morning but are likely to miss “the next few games”.

If Lampard is absent against City, new £17 million midfielder Ramires, a disappointment against Newcastle, is likely to step into the breach once again.

Another alternative would have been to push Florent Malouda back into central midfield but Kalou’s absence means the Frenchman will probably be stationed on the left of a front three.

Italian Press: Ancelotti Makes Contact With "Kaka Argentino"

According to reports in Italy, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has made contact with Palermo midfielder Javier Pastore in an effort to lure the 21-year-old to London next summer.

The prodigiously gifted Argentina international was linked with a £40 million move to Manchester City a fortnight ago, and has in the past attracted the attentions of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, but Sport Italia suggest Ancelotti has held informal talks with the Palermo star, who is said to be enthused by the prospect of a move to the Premier League champions.

Pastore, whose burgeoning reputation is reflected in the youngster’s tenuous nickname of “Kaka Argentino”, recently denied reports linking him with a move to Inter Milan but Sport Italia indicate the player could be available in the summer.

Ancelotti’s Serie A ties suggest Chelsea are the frontrunners, but Manchester City’s superior financial clout would enable Roberto Mancini to rival his Premier league counterpart given Palermo’s £40 million valuation.

Pastore was strongly linked with a move to Manchester United when he was a teenager plying his trade for Huracan, in the Argentinean Clausura, but at the time the midfielder was said to have a complex third ownership deal which is commonplace in South America, and it subsquently put Sir Alex Ferguson off pursuing the talented playmaker.

Chelsea Move For Real Madrid Medical Chief Carlos Diez

Chelsea have made an offer to Real Madrid chief of medical services Carlos Diez to make the switch to London, according to AS.

Diez has been in charge at the Bernabeu for two years and has helped stars such as Pepe back to full fitness after long-term injuries. His wealth of experience carrying out medicals and getting the 'Galacticos' in top shape has been pinpointed by the Blues as an area to improve their setup.

It is not yet known whether Diez is ready to move to the Premier League or what exact role he would take. Chelsea currently boast a staff of 15 medical and fitness staff.

Ancelotti Vows To Be Careful With Fitness Of Michael Essien

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has promised not to ask too much of Michael Essien after he spent last season on the sidelines.

Essien, 27, has been pivotal to the Blues' dominant start to their Premier League title defence. Despite his tremendous form, his knee still bears the scars of the ligament injury that wrecked his previous campaign.

Speaking to reporters, the Italian was eager to hand the Ghanaian a rest when he can. This is expected to start with last night's League Cup match against Newcastle United.

“We missed him last year. His injury was very bad for us," Ancelotti was quoted as saying by talkSPORT.

“His contribution was fantastic. We hope he stays fit he is like a new signing for us but he needs rest.”

Reaction: Disappointment But Few Regrets

There were mixed emotions for Carlo Ancelotti following tonight's exit from the Carling Cup.

The first emotion was disappointment, as we lost 4-3 to Newcastle inside Stamford Bridge, but the second was pride as he watched a 10-man Blues side battle back from 3-1 down to equalize.

'I am disappointed for the result, this is normal,' explained the Italian, 'but I am happy for the performance, absolutely happy.

'We had a fantastic reaction when we went down 3-1, playing 10 against 11.

'We showed good spirit, good personality, especially from the young players and this is good for us.

'This was a competition for the young players, they needed to have experience and they had a fantastic experience tonight.

'It was very difficult but at the end we can say that we are happy with the performance of our players and that's it.'

It was a testing night for Chelsea. Having put out a young side, Ancelotti then had to watch as Gael Kakuta, Yossi Benayoun and Salomon Kalou all picked up injuries.

'We had three problems,' said Ancelotti. 'Kakuta had a problem on his back, Benayoun on his calf and Kalou had a tight muscle.'

But even with that in mind, the Italian had no regrets about playing the side he did.

'This [Carling Cup] is not our priority, we have a very important game on the weekend and I wanted to rest some players.

'This was one reason. The second was because we wanted to give our young players an opportunity to improve.

'I am not so disappointed. We had the ability to look at players with a lot of character, this is good for us. In the future we can count on these players.

'I want to judge the match, not my players. We did our best. We are disappointed with the result obviously. We conceded four goals. But the performance was good.'

Another man who was quietly impressed by the comeback was Newcastle United manager Chris Hughton, who said: 'We had the best opportunities in the game to kill the game off but they came back.

'The equalizer was a soft penalty but at that stage we were heading for extra time. Both sides could have done without that and fortunately for us we stopped it.

'This speaks volumes for the changing room and the players I have in that changing room. Hopefully it will give us a momentum to go into the next few games,' added Hughton.

League Cup Preview: Chelsea vs Newcastle United

Chelsea are currently in the form of their lives as they welcome Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge for a third round tie in the League Cup.

Since tasting defeat to Manchester United in the Community Shield, Carlo Ancelotti's charges have gone from strength to strength by scoring 25 goals in all competitions since. The emphatic nature of this statistic is showcased through the goals-per-game ratio, which puts the west London club at over four goals a match.

They have also begun well in their quest to claim the European crown, as their first game in the Champions League - away to MSK Zilina - saw them travel to Slovakia and obtain a 4-1 victory.

However, the Italian boss is expected to field a few of his fringe players for this encounter, keeping in mind the tough set of fixtures that lie ahead.

Ancelotti's men have a trip to Manchester City this weekend, with Olympique Marseille breathing down their necks in the Champions League. They then have a blockbuster fixture against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, before a visit to Aston Villa which will be followed by the long distance trip to Russia to take on Spartak Moscow.

So the League Cup tie is likely to be used by the manager as a way to give his non-regular players a run out.

Newcastle United has had a relatively decent start to the season, which began with a loss to Manchester United on the opening day. But that was followed by an emphatic 6-0 victory over Aston Villa. Their recent loss to Blackpool also proved to be a minor hiccup, as they outclassed and outplayed Everton in a recent 1-0 victory at Goodison Park.

The manager of the Tyneside club, Chris Hughton, has confirmed that he will use this encounter to give some of his fringe players a chance to put in a strong performance and challenge for a first-team spot.

Hughton said: "We will use the squad and there will be significant changes.

"I don’t mind the supporters who are travelling down knowing that. We have a lot of options and there will be changes to the team."

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea

Jose Bosingwa is still out with a knee injury and is expected to return only about two to three weeks from now, while fellow defender John Terry sat out the game against Blackpool owing to a rib injury. Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti would be loath to risk his skipper in a game that is not as significant as the ones ahead, and should likely give the centre-half a rest - should he be fit in the first place.

In the meantime, midfielder Frank Lampard was recently reported as still recovering from a hernia operation, which makes him a doubt for this game. Even if fit, the former Milan boss may choose to ease him back into action by bringing him on during the latter stages of the game.

But all said and done, it is a League Cup tie and changes are to be expected.

Possible starting XI: Turnbull; Bruma, Alex, Ivanovic, Van Aanholt; Zhirkov, Ramires, Benayoun; Kakuta, Sturridge, Borini.

Newcastle United

The shoulder injury to goalkeeper Steve Harper means that Tim Krul will start, while it could be argued that the Dutchman would have started anyway since this is a League Cup tie.

The Toon boss Chris Hughton has confirmed that he will ring in the changes, so a few fringe players can be expected to make the cut into the line-up.

Meanwhile, defender Sol Campbell has put in a few appearances for the reserves and has been pushing for a start, and could be given the look in for this game.

Possible Starting XI: Krul; Taylor, Tavernier, Campbell, Kadar; Donaldson, Vuckic, Ferguson, Lovenkrands; Ameobi, Ranger.

Carlo Ancelotti Wants Chelsea Youngsters To 'Show Their Quality' In League Cup Run Out

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has challenged his young stars to "show their quality" when handed a League Cup run out on Wednesday night.

The Blues meet Newcastle United in the third round of the competition, with the Italian set to hand starts to Daniel Sturridge, Gael Kakuta and Jeffrey Bruma.

Speaking to the club's official website, Ancelotti welcomed the opportunity to see his starlets in action.

He said: "It is a good experience for them to play this kind of game. They are involved this season more compared to last season and when there is an opportunity I want to give them the opportunity to play and show their quality."

The 51-year-old added: "They were involved in the last games, Sturridge played in the Champions League, Kakuta played two games, Bruma played in the last game against Blackpool and they will get more opportunities to play.

"The academy did a good job in the last years and now we have the young players ready to play in our squad. Obviously against Newcastle it is important to win to maintain a good atmosphere here but the most important thing is that these players can show their quality for the team."

Ancelotti also confirmed that Frank Lampard was not yet ready to return following hernia surgery, but skipper John Terry should feature.

"JT is fit to play and maybe can play on Wednesday for 45 minutes which could help Bruma, but Lampard is not available," he stated.

Drogba Eyes Record Breaking Quadruple Success

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has set his sights on an unprecedented quadruple clean sweep of the game's biggest trophies this season.

Drogba, 32, has played a key role as the Blues have begun the defence of their Premier League crown in dominant form. Despite also lifting the FA Cup in manager Carlo Ancelotti's debut campaign, the failures in the Champions League and League Cup led to disappointment.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the Ivory Coast international was determined to help his club battle on all fronts.

"It's very difficult, this is a very difficult thing to achieve," Drogba said.

"Why not? If we do it it will be an amazing season. I think to keep the title will be difficult, even if people see us as one of the best teams with Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

"But it will be difficult this season. That's why we're here - we want to prove we are the champions and we want to keep the Premier League trophy."

John Terry Looking Forward To Seeing Youngsters In League Cup Action

Chelsea skipper John Terry has urged the youngsters on League Cup duty to grab the opportunity and increase the competition for first team places.

The Blues face Newcastle United on Wednesday night in the third round tie and manager Carlo Ancelotti has promised changes. The Italian's decision should see Patrick van Aanholt, Jeffrey Bruma, Daniel Sturridge and Gael Kakuta introduced to the fray.

Terry is sure the mix of young and old players could bolster the club's bid for silverware in all competitions.

"We have a great squad of players mixed with some very good young players who are making their mark on the team," Terry was quoted as saying by skysports.com.

"These opportunities are not only great for them but also for our youth system and credit goes to everyone working hard in the academy.

"The manager has spoken about the importance of strength in our squad this season and competition for places is always a good thing."

Michael Essien Disappointed With Milovan Rajevac's Recent Decision To Part Company With Ghana

Ghana and Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has told Citi FM he was disappointing with Milovan Rajevac's decision to abandon the Black Stars job.

The midfield general, who is tipped to stage a comeback to international duty early next year, said he is confident that the Ghana FA can find a suitable successor.

“It’s very sad for me to hear that the coach has left but straight up these things happen,” the Chelsea ace said.

“I will leave everything for the FA to appoint a new coach. They will look around and choose the right person for the team.”

Asked about his recent goal scoring heroics, he said, “I have no secret; I just try to give my best when I am on the field.”

Drogba Hits Out At Chelsea's Doubters

Didier Drogba says he is in confident mood as Chelsea prepare for a potentially tough test against Manchester City.

After disposing of West Brom, Wigan, Stoke, West Ham and Blackpool with a glut of goals, Chelsea faces a more realistic assessment of their title credentials when they head to Eastlands on Saturday.

However, Chelsea won six out of six against Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool last season, and Drogba is in confident mood.

Speaking at the London Soccer Dome, he told the Daily Express: "I don't think we have had an easy start. People say that because we won all our games, but those games were not easy. At Wigan we struggled in the first half but managed to turn it around.

"City will be a good test to see if we can deal with better opposition. After that it is Arsenal - another big one - so it's a crucial period.

Turnbull's Test

Ross Turnbull prepares for a first start of the season on Wednesday against the side he supported as a boy.

The 25-year-old goalkeeper grew up in Durham, and was a huge Newcastle United fan before turning professional with their local rivals Middlesbrough.

'A lot of my family were supporters too and we had season tickets when we were younger so I'll be looking forward to the game,' Turnbull said. 'Everyone likes to play against their boyhood team, so I'm looking forward to it.

'My hero was Alan Shearer up there, like everyone else! He was the legend, but they had some great keepers, Pavel Srnicek, Shaka Hislop and Shay Given so it was great to watch them.

'Family and friends have been asking if I'm playing and it's really something to anticipate. It's one I think I'll enjoy, and it's one we want to win, we want to progress in the competition and ultimately win it.'

We have a strong recent history in the Carling Cup with victories in 2005 and 2007, as well as a Final defeat to Tottenham in 2008, but we have been eliminated early in the past two seasons and it is something the squad wants to address.

In order to progress we will need to beat a Magpies side which has impressed since returning to the top flight this season.

'They seem to have done fine since they've been back up in the Premier League,' Turnbull assessed. 'I look for their results but my interest doesn't go much further than that anymore, and I'm sure they will have a good season.'

The goalkeeper's attentions have been more on his own game, and he is delighted to get the chance to impress at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, with Petr Cech rested and Hilario injured.

'I am enjoying training, I work hard with the other goalkeepers and this is a chance for me to play so hopefully I can show people what I can do. Everyone wants to play football and it's a good chance for me to play well', he said.

'I'm not sure what the manager plans to do with the Carling Cup side, last year Big Pete was rested but whether that continues I don't know, it is his decision and I'll go along with it but from a personal point of view I'd obviously like to continue if we get through.'