Match Preview: Manchester United vs. Chelsea

In the Premier League, it simply doesn't get much bigger than this. Manchester United host Chelsea as first and second place do battle, with the winner taking a step closer to realising the dream of once again claiming English football's top honours.

It hasn't been a dream week so far for Sir Alex Ferguson, though. After Wayne Rooney gave United an early lead against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, they went on to lose the game courtesy of a late strike from Ivica Olic.

To make matters a lot worse, Rooney limped off with an ankle ligament injury, just days before the crucial meeting with the Blues on Saturday. The England striker now faces three weeks out and will miss the return leg with Bayern, as well as a handful of key fixtures in the title run-in, possibly including the Manchester derby.

It's not all doom and gloom for Ferguson: the Red Devils will still fancy their chances of progressing in Europe, are top of the league after a five-game unbeaten run and, as usual, are proving to be a formidable prospect at Old Trafford. If the reigning champions can get the better of Chelsea on Saturday, the title is theirs to lose.

How Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti must be wishing he faced the task of negotiating a quarter-final second leg in the Champions League. The Italian failed to realise club owner Roman Abramovich's European dream as his side were beaten by Inter in the round of 16, leaving Ancelotti under pressure to deliver the Premier League title - or at the very least the FA Cup - this season.

A groggy 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers followed the defeat at the hands of Jose Mourinho's men, but the Blues have been rampant since. Their last two games - away at Portsmouth and at home to Aston Villa - have resulted in 5-0 and 7-1 victories, respectively, with Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda firing on all cylinders.

Such results have given Chelsea the edge over United on goal difference, which could still prove vital come May, but a win at Old Trafford on Saturday is vital if Ancelotti's charges want their title fate to be in their own hands.

FORM GUIDE

Man United

Bayern Munich 2-1 Man United (Champions League)
Bolton 0-4 Man United (Premier League)
Man United 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Man United 3-0 Fulham (Premier League)
Man United 4-0 AC Milan (Champions League)

Chelsea

Chelsea 7-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)
Portsmouth 0-5 Chelsea (Premier League)
Blackburn 1-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
Chelsea 0-1 Inter (Champions League)
Chelsea 4-1 West Ham (Premier League)

TEAM NEWS

Man United

Wayne Rooney will not get the chance to fire his side into a lead at the top of the table after suffering minor ankle ligament damage against Bayern Munich on Tuesday; the striker faces around two to three weeks out.

Rooney is United’s only new injury concern, though Michael Owen, Wes Brown, Anderson and John O’Shea remain unavailable, with O'Shea set to return to full fitness imminently after recovering from a long-term thigh problem.

Another long-term absentee, midfielder Owen Hargreaves, is also set to return soon; indeed, Sir Alex Ferguson has even suggested that either Hargreaves or O'Shea could make the bench for the Chelsea clash.

Chelsea

There is better news on the striker front for Chelsea, as Didier Drogba has recovered from the knock that saw him miss the 7-1 thrashing of Aston Villa and is almost certain to start at Old Trafford after sitting out two training sessions.

Ancelotti has his regular list of long-term absentees hampering his team selection; Michael Essien, Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa are all still unavailable, while Branislav Ivanovic is sidelined with a knee problem.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Man United

It has been well documented that, in the absence of Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov may find himself leading the line alone on Saturday and must take centre stage. The Bulgarian, whose languid style is in contrast to the England international's more energetic approach, is yet to capture the imaginations of the United faithful in the same way he did at previous club Tottenham Hotspur, but a match-winning performance against Chelsea would certainly go some way to launching the striker into iconic status.

Chelsea

The availability of Didier Drogba is obviously a massive plus for Chelsea and he will surely play a significant part in Saturday's early kick-off, but the continued exceptional form of Florent Malouda makes the midfielder a potent threat to United's back four. The Frenchman has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season - 11 of them in the Premier League - and, whether battling Rafael or Gary Neville, Malouda will be confident of making an impact on proceedings.

Sir Alex Ferguson Praises Carlo Ancelotti's Progress At Chelsea

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has defended the job Carlo Ancelotti has done at Chelsea this season.

The two sides meet in a potential Premier League title decider at Old Trafford on Saturday, with United holding a slender one point advantage in the table.

There had been suggestions in some quarters that Ancelotti would lose his job if Chelsea fail to win the title, especially after the Blues were knocked out of the Champions League by Inter last month, but Ferguson believes such speculation is unfair.

"There has been no failure on Carlo Ancelotti's part at all," Ferguson said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

"He has done the job well.

"He is a man of great experience. He has won two European Cups as a coach and was a great player.

"You are talking about a pretty high competition level; in Europe and everything, and at this moment in time Chelsea are only a point behind us and they are in the semi-final of the FA Cup.

"The disappointment would be being knocked out in Europe. But it was a really strong performance from Inter Milan to knock them out.

"Overall, I think he has done a good job."

Lampard The Key For Carlo

Carlo Ancelotti believes midfielder Frank Lampard could play a key role when Chelsea tackle title rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Lampard found the net four times in last weekend's 7-1 drubbing of Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge and has now scored at least 20 goals in each of his last six seasons.

The Blues travel to the home of their title rivals one point adrift with each club having five more games to play after they go head-to-head this weekend.

Ancelotti, who took charge of Chelsea in the summer, revealed he did not fully appreciate the England international's talents until his arrival in West London.

"Lampard is a very dangerous midfielder," said Ancelotti. "It is difficult to block him because he is a very dynamic player and he gets into the box at the right moment.

"He is a midfielder who scores 20 goals every season and he is unique in that respect. I was surprised by him. I knew him but not with the timing into the box and that is his most important quality.

"We can use this quality to beat United but it is not enough to use just Lampard. We have other qualities and want to use them all."

Chelsea have bagged an impressive 12 goals in their last two games as they preceded their romp against Villa with a five-goal showing against Portsmouth to claim a narrow advantage over the Red Devils in the goal difference and goals scored stakes.

Despite having watched his side rack up 82 goals in their 32 Premier League outings this season, the Italian tactician insists he always attempts to remain true to the principles of his homeland.

"I don't consider myself an attacking coach," he added. "I am Italian and the fortune of Italian football is defensively. I like balance. I am a balanced coach.

"This is our aim, to attack and play football, but the first thing is to maintain balance because I don't like to concede a goal.

"The easy way to score is a counter-attack. In Italy the team that won Serie A was not the team that scored more goals, it was the team that conceded the least."

Mikel Out For Revenge At Old Trafford

Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi insists the Blues must take revenge on Manchester United for two recent heavy defeats at Old Trafford.

Chelsea are just one point behind United at the top of the Premier League but they have suffered some embarrassingly one-sided defeats at Old Trafford in the past two seasons - beaten 3-0 and 2-0 on their last two league visits to the champions.

But Chelsea, who have smashed 12 goals in their last two games against Portsmouth and Aston Villa, go into the top-of-the-table clash full of confidence.

Their confidence is in stark contrast to United, who lost the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night and who will be without top scorer Wayne Rooney for up to a month because of minor ankle ligament damage.
Mikel is adamant Chelsea can secure their first win at Manchester United since 2005 and heap more misery on United's bid for a league and European double.

"It's about time we went up there and won again because we can do it." said Mikel. "We can go there, play good football and win the game.

"It depends on how we come out to play and fight because it's going to be really difficult but we're ready for it. Hopefully this time it will go our way.

"We have made it clear that we need to win every match and every game we play is a big one but because of where we are in the league, it looks like we're going to have to win it.

"We have got a very difficult schedule for the rest of the season and it has come to the stage where every point is very important but we have to think about Saturday for now."

Meanwhile, Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti admits that Rooney's absence could allow his side to seize the title initiative from United.

The United striker has scored 35 goals in all competitions, 26 of them in the Premier League, and his absence at Old Trafford has already given Chelsea a massive incentive.

"Everyone knows how Wayne Rooney is important for this team, he is a fantastic player," said Ancelotti. "He has had a fantastic season but his injury could be an advantage for us.

"He is one of the best in the world right now. He is very professional and his image is very good for football. I like this kind of player. I was sorry for him. But I think without Rooney, for us, it is better.

"We want to play our football and we want to keep control of the game but it will be difficult. Man Utd want to do the same, they play at home and they will want to keep control of the game. This is the fight.

"Maybe sometimes a team can give more 100 per cent when an important player is out. We have to pay attention to this.

"Saturday is a very important game because we play a fantastic team who are top of the league now but I have always said the title will be decided at the end of the season.

"We want to do our best. The destiny after the game will be with the winners, but nothing will be decided.

"If we are able to win, it is better for us. A draw is not a bad result because there are a lot of games and everyone of them is very important.

"But it is very difficult to win at Old Trafford. It is a fantastic stadium for me also, not only for Sir Alex. I won the Champions League there in 2003 and that is the best memory for me in my career."

Drogba May Need Surgery At End Of Season: Ancelotti

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba could need surgery before the World Cup to cure a long-term groin problem.

Drogba was rested for last weekend's 7-1 win over Aston Villa because he has been suffering from the injury for some time and Ancelotti admits he could need a minor operation before playing for his country in South Africa.

Despite playing through the pain barrier at times, Drogba has still scored 30 goals this season and the 32-year-old will led Chelsea's attack in their crucial clash at Premier League leaders Manchester United on Saturday.

The Blues can go two points clear of United with a win at Old Trafford.

"Drogba has been living with this problem for three or four months but it is not a big problem," Ancelotti said.

"Sometimes he has problems after the game but during the week he doesn't have any difficulty.

"He will not need surgery now and if he needs to have an operation at the end of the season he will be ready in seven days because it will be a very little surgery - but I don't know if he will need to have that surgery.

"He was a little bit tired before the last game against Aston Villa so I didn't want to take the risk to put him on the pitch but now he is fit and he has to play."

Ancelotti Hungry For Title

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted his hunger to land the Premier League title ahead of Saturday's crucial showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Blues travel to the home of the league leaders and defending champions trailing Sir Alex Ferguson's men by just one point with six games of the season remaining.

Saturday's encounter is certain to have a pivotal impact on the destination of the title, while Arsenal remain in contention just three points further back from Chelsea.

The Blues have recovered well from the disappointment of their Champions League exit at the hands of former boss Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan side, scoring 12 goals in their last two games against Portsmouth and Aston Villa.

The Red Devils will also be missing their attacking talisman Wayne Rooney for the coming weeks after the England international suffered minor ligament damage in the midweek defeat to Bayern Munich.

Ancelotti, who will have his own star striker Didier Drogba available after a knee problem, is determined to wrestle top spot back from their opponents having headed the pack for long spells this season.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the Italian said: "It will be an important game.

"I think that this game won't decide the winner, but the team that wins the game will have a good chance to win the title.

"I am working to bring the Premier League here to Stamford Bridge.

"We are hungry to win because Chelsea has been very close for three years and now is the time to win.

"I am not satisfied because we are in second place in the table. We were in first place for eight months and now we are in second. We have a chance in the next game to move back into first place."

Despite the weight of expectation placed on his shoulders to bring success to Stamford Bridge, which increased following their European exit, Ancelotti remains relatively relaxed with the Premier League and FA Cup still in his sights.

He added: "I think we deserve to win something. We had a bad performance in the Champions League, this was not good.

"But in the Premier League we have done a good job until now. Now we have to try to win.

"The pressure is normal, it is a good thing. Pressure is life. When you have adrenaline in your body you have to be happy because adrenaline is a good thing."

Deco: Balancing Act

Back in the team and back in form, Deco is hoping we can go back on top at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Portuguese midfielder has been a key figure in our last two matches, both enterprising displays against Portsmouth and Aston Villa, and is now aiming to damage Manchester United's title hopes with victory on their own patch.

'I think we need to play in the same way, try to keep the ball, to pass the ball and be a danger when we attack,' he said. 'They are a better team than Portsmouth or Aston Villa but we can win.

'It will also be important to defend well, to take up good positions and be balanced. Manchester United are strong in the counter-attack and have good players, but we just need to go there and don't think about what they do. We know what we need to do.'

Deco's return to the starting line-up has coincided with the side scoring 12 goals in two games, tearing both Pompey and Villa to shreds in the process, and the playmaker admitted he is 'feeling better and playing better', after a seven-week absence from first team duties.

Now with six Barclays Premier League games to go, he is hoping to influence where the title ends up, and appreciates the importance of Saturday’s game cannot be overemphasised.

'I don't know if we need to win the game,' he told the Official Chelsea Website. 'Of course if we do then it just depends on us winning our games and we win the Premier League, if we lose it is difficult but if we draw everything is still open.

'I believe we have a chance to win and we will go there to win, not to draw, but the bad result would be to lose. If you win or draw everything is to play for, you cannot say anything is finished because we have difficult games but we would be in a good position.'

Ashley Cole Back From Broken Ankle Before End Of Season

England defender Ashley Cole will be "ready for the World Cup", according to his boss at Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti.

"The England staff are in contact with our medical staff and in 15 days Ashley will be back with the squad," he said.

Cole's rehabilitation from surgery has progressed better than expected after he broke his ankle in Chelsea's 2-1 defeat by Everton on 10 February.

The left-back is expected to be available for Chelsea's last three Premier League games of the season.

He was expected to be ruled out for three months but he has beaten that target and should have had some first-team action under his belt by the time Fabio Capello picks his initial 35-man squad for South Africa on 12 May.

England kick off their World Cup campaign against the United States in Rustenburg on Saturday 12 June.

The announcement coincides with a similarly positive bulletin on key Manchester United and England player Wayne Rooney. The striker's club manager Sir Alex Ferguson said on Friday he expected to have Rooney back in his squad in "two to three weeks".

While the tremendous goal-scoring form of Rooney this season makes him a key component for England in June's World Cup, a fully-fit Cole is also expected to be a definite pick by Capello in South Africa.

Chelsea, whose resources in defence are stretched with Branislav Ivanovic and Jose Bosingwa also injured, will have to cope without Cole for the Premier League trips to Manchester United, Bolton and Tottenham, plus the FA Cup semi-final with Aston Villa.
But Cole could return on 25 April when Chelsea take on Stoke at Stamford Bridge, before finishing off their season against Liverpool and Wigan.

Midweek Rest Gives Blues The Advantage In Heavyweight Bout With Manchester United

All week, Sky Sports have been relentlessly promoting a clash taking place in Manchester this weekend that could well define the two contenders' professional future.

No question about it, David Haye versus John Ruiz at the MEN Arena promises to be an intriguing boxing bout. But come Saturday, there will be only one battle that is really worthy of the interest of the majority of sports fans. And it will take place at Old Trafford.

In the Red corner, weighed down by three consecutive league titles and the 2008 Champions League trophy, is Manchester United.

In the Blue corner, weighed down by insecurity and self-doubt having failed to win the league since 2006 and falling short in that 2008 Champions League final, is Chelsea.

On offer — as long as there is a knockout victor, at least — is a potentially decisive advantage in the ever-shortening race to the Premier League title. And if the preparation for such events is anything to go by, Carlo Ancelotti’s side could be poised to secure a dramatic victory in front of a hostile crowd at the 'Theatre of Dreams'.

Enjoying an uninterrupted week of recuperation and training after demolishing Aston Villa 7-1 at the weekend, the Blues have been able to sit back and cackle — although perhaps slightly reservedly, considering their own shortcomings against Inter Milan — as it slowly went wrong for their title rivals in Europe.

Arsenal, already off the pace in their table after their draw against Birmingham City at the weekend, drew with Barcelona but lost captain Cesc Fabregas for the foreseeable future in the process.

More importantly, United, amidst being given a taste of their own medicine by Bayern Munich, suffered the one crisis they were hoping to avoid above all else — an injury to Wayne Rooney.

The striker, with 34 goals to his name so far this season, has been diagnosed with minor ankle ligament damage and early estimates suggest he will miss between two and four weeks of action.

That means he will definitely be absent for Saturday’s early kick-off against the Blues, and could well sit out a sizeable portion of his side’s other five remaining league games.

Without him United seem to have a clear lack of a goalscoring threat to call upon. Dimitar Berbatov (12 league goals to his name this season, just one more than the number of own goals United have been able to call upon), will lead the line at the weekend, but he will do well to occupy both John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho.

Not that United will admit they are concerned.

“In games Wayne has missed recently, we've scored some goals. Dimitar has come in and done ever so well,” defender Rio Ferdinand said after Tuesday’s defeat to Bayner Munich, echoing the views of a number of his team-mates.

“Rooney is a great player and has been very influential in our season so far but we know we have players who can come in and deliver.

“We don't like losing. You've got to take things on the chin and get on with it. On Saturday we'll see a better, brighter team.”

Chelsea, however, have their own worries over their leading scorer. Drogba might be four goals shy of Rooney’s current record, but he has been equally important to his side throughout the current campaign. Struggling with a number of slight ailments, he is rated as a doubt for the big game. Although, considering how well Ancelotti’s side coped without him last week (and throughout January when he was at the African Cup of Nations), perhaps the 32-year-old’s absence would actually be a blessing in disguise.
Whatever the case, perhaps it would be fitting if these two sides would face off without their most potent weapons. Then we can find out which squad comprises the better team — rather than simply which one is blessed with the most talented talisman.

In that respect, the game is too close to call. United's midfield is unarguably a more well-oiled machine at the minute than Chelsea's, while defensively both sides have been forced into unwanted rotation in recent weeks due to injuries. With their forward lines both weakened, individual battles might take on extra significance.

Florent Malouda, for example, will be salivating at the prospect of taking on Gary Neville down United’s right. The Frenchman will have seen the torturous time his international team-mate Franck Ribery gave the veteran defender at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, and considering his current form (four goals in the last two games) will be confident of putting on a similar display.

Even if Sir Alex opts for young Rafael instead, the inexperienced Brazilian will have a job dealing with someone who is playing as well as anyone in the Premier League right now.

But on the other hand, Antonio Valencia did not start in midweek and, especially after being tactically very effective in the last game between the two sides, might cause Chelsea's stand-in left-back Yury Zhirkov a number of problems with his strong running and ever-improving crossing ability.

How will midfielder Darren Fletcher cope with the late runs of Frank Lampard. Will John Obi Mikel be able to stop Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs from playing in their team-mates around the edge of the Chelsea box? On such encounters the game might well be decided.

In front of 75,000-plus supportive fans, United will be buoyed by their record this season which has seen them drop only five points from a possible 48 on home soil (losing to Villa, drawing with Sunderland — although they did also lose to Leeds United in the FA Cup). But Chelsea will take confidence from the 1-0 win they secured when the two sides met at Stamford Bridge in November.

"The fans at Old Trafford are always great in the big games, so they’ll hopefully help us over the line," Darren Fletcher told FourFourTwo magazine recently.

"It does give you a slight advantage but this is top Chelsea side we’re talking about. They’re capable of coming to Old Trafford and winning.”

What is more, following their four previous away trips in Europe this season United have only subsequently managed to win once — following a victory in Turkey against Besiktas with a last-minute 4-3 victory against rivals Manchester City. Every other game they lost — with Villa (at home), Liverpool and Everton the grateful benefactors.

Whatever the case, perhaps it would be fitting if these two sides would face off without their most potent weapons. Then we can find out which squad comprises the better team — rather than simply which one is blessed with the most talented talisman.

In that respect, the game is too close to call. United's midfield is unarguably a more well-oiled machine at the minute than Chelsea's, while defensively both sides have been forced into unwanted rotation in recent weeks due to injuries. With their forward lines both weakened, individual battles might take on extra significance.

Florent Malouda, for example, will be salivating at the prospect of taking on Gary Neville down United’s right. The Frenchman will have seen the torturous time his international team-mate Franck Ribery gave the veteran defender at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, and considering his current form (four goals in the last two games) will be confident of putting on a similar display.

Even if Sir Alex opts for young Rafael instead, the inexperienced Brazilian will have a job dealing with someone who is playing as well as anyone in the Premier League right now.

But on the other hand, Antonio Valencia did not start in midweek and, especially after being tactically very effective in the last game between the two sides, might cause Chelsea's stand-in left-back Yury Zhirkov a number of problems with his strong running and ever-improving crossing ability.

How will midfielder Darren Fletcher cope with the late runs of Frank Lampard. Will John Obi Mikel be able to stop Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs from playing in their team-mates around the edge of the Chelsea box? On such encounters the game might well be decided.

In front of 75,000-plus supportive fans, United will be buoyed by their record this season which has seen them drop only five points from a possible 48 on home soil (losing to Villa, drawing with Sunderland — although they did also lose to Leeds United in the FA Cup). But Chelsea will take confidence from the 1-0 win they secured when the two sides met at Stamford Bridge in November.

"The fans at Old Trafford are always great in the big games, so they’ll hopefully help us over the line," Darren Fletcher told FourFourTwo magazine recently.

"It does give you a slight advantage but this is top Chelsea side we’re talking about. They’re capable of coming to Old Trafford and winning.”

What is more, following their four previous away trips in Europe this season United have only subsequently managed to win once — following a victory in Turkey against Besiktas with a last-minute 4-3 victory against rivals Manchester City. Every other game they lost — with Villa (at home), Liverpool and Everton the grateful benefactors.

Ancelotti: A Good Moment To Play United

With Wayne Rooney and Cesc Fabregas dominating the sports news the last two days, it could be easy to believe the injury wheel of fortune has turned in Chelsea's favour. Carlo Ancelotti dismisses the idea.

The loss of Manchester United and Arsenal's most revered players, for however long, has made Chelsea the favourites to take the league championship title according to some observers but as we prepare for a top of the table clash at Old Trafford, no-one at Cobham is taking comfort from the other teams' medical problems.

'Every team has a lot of injuries at the moment,' argues Ancelotti, 'and I would like that Manchester United could use Rooney and Fabregas could play for Arsenal if I could have my injured players ready to play.

'I want to remind everyone that we have out Michael Essien, Ashley Cole, Jose Bosingwa, Branislav Ivanovic and also Ricardo Carvalho, so I don't know if we can claim advantage from injuries.'

Happily one injury problem the Chelsea manager doesn't have is Didier Drogba despite the player missing training on Tuesday and Wednesday. The cause was an accidental kick on the knee by Yury Zhirkov during one of the sessions.

'Drogba trained very well on Thursday and is fit to play,' Ancelotti reports.

'I think he will start against Manchester United. The other strikers did a fantastic job against Aston Villa but Drogba is a very important player for us.'

The back four will remain the same as the Villa game - Paulo Ferreira, Alex, John Terry and Zhirkov. The only player returning to the squad following injury is Juliano Belletti. He is back from Brazil where he underwent treatment on a knee problem and is fully recovered.

Ancelotti has expressed doubt over Michael Essien playing again for Chelsea this season. The midfielder is on the way back from knee surgery.

John Terry Urges Chelsea To Face Manchester United With No Fear

John Terry says his Chelsea side must approach Saturday's meeting with Manchester United at Old Trafford with no fear and use the momentum gained in recent weeks to take a potentially crucial lead in the title race.

Chelsea travel to Manchester this weekend one point behind the leaders United with six games to play. Sir Alex Ferguson's side will be without Wayne Rooney, but Carlo Ancelotti today suggested that Didier Drogba could return to the Chelsea line-up after injury.

"There is so much on the game on Saturday and the way we have played the last couple of games, we have to take that momentum and that same gameplan into this match," said Terry. "We have to approach the game with no fear and we must go into it playing our own game. It is a tough place to go and the way we got beaten there and the way we played there last year was not good enough."

The Chelsea captain said that the experience of last season's visit to Old Trafford – when they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 – would be a motivation. "We go there not only with confidence from the last few games but still hurting from that defeat, and that will spur us on," he said.

Grin It To Win Against Drogba

Florent Malouda has told Manchester United how to halt Didier Drogba: Make him laugh.

The Blues midfielder revealed the trick was the best way to put off his Chelsea pal in training.

Malouda said: "I know him very well and can give him a lot of trouble. You need to be clever with him. It's best to destabilise him.

"Sometimes I make him laugh so he loses focus. That's the best way to defend against him."

But Malouda - whose team goes to Old Trafford on Saturday in a table-top clash - warned that Drogba had a hunger to excel.

He said: "People dream about things - Didier dreams about goals and scores the goals he dreams about."

Carlo Ancelotti Doesn't Expect Manchester United To Struggle Without Injured Wayne Rooney

Carlo Ancelotti has warned his Chelsea players not to expect an easy ride against Manchester United on Saturday, even if the Red Devils are without star striker Wayne Rooney.

The 24-year-old limped off against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek, and is expected to be out for up to a month with strained ankle ligaments.

While he will miss Saturday's game, Ancelotti expects United to respond positively to the loss of their leading scorer.

"We know how Rooney is important for this team, he is a fantastic player, he is having a fantastic season and this injury could be an advantage for us," Ancelotti acknowledged in his press conference ahead of the game.

"But maybe sometimes a team can give more than 100 per cent when a very important player is out, and so we have to pay attention to this — because I think Manchester United has the experience and the players to support the absence of Wayne Rooney."

However, Ancelotti revealed that Chelsea will be able to call on the services of their top scorer, Didier Drogba, who will be fit to start after missing training earlier in the week with a knee injury.

Eriksson Checks On His Elephants

Newly appointed Ivory Coast coach Sven Goran Eriksson was at Cobham on Thursday, but not only to meet Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou.

The Swede, England's manager between 2001 and 2006 also caught up with Carlo Ancelotti who he knew well from his time in Italy, and met Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, John Terry and Joe Cole, who all wore the three lions under his guidance.

'Carlo Ancelotti, I know very well,' said the 62-year-old. 'He is a good friend, we were opponents as coaches in Italy but before that he was my captain in Roma for three years, so I know him very well, he is a very nice man.

'It is nice to see this training facility, it is absolutely fantastic, I was here before at Cobham when there were cabins, but now it is like a five-star hotel,' he added.

Of course the main reason for Eriksson's visit was to meet his new captain, just days after being appointed to lead Ivory Coast at this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

'My first impressions are excellent,' he confirmed. 'Both Chelsea players seem to be very good human beings, which is important, and the quality they have, Kalou is very talented and Drogba is on the top, top, top level in the world today and has been so for years.

'For sure it is a very talented football team, with a lot of good football players. What I want to do is go as far as possible in the tournament and I will travel around to see more or less all of the players and find out what we need, to have their opinions about things. Then around the 20th, 22nd May, we come together to work, it is a very short period together.'

With experience of two such tournaments already, he knows he has a tough task in guiding Les Elephants through the notorious 'Group of Death', against the two sides that eliminated him as England manager.

'Well, of course, we are in the most difficult group of all,' he acknowledged, 'but I think it is difficult even for Brazil and Portugal. Also everybody who talks about the group forgets about North Korea, who are very similar to South Korea, and have they have the same style, they can run all day that is for sure.'

It will certainly be interesting to see how Eriksson gets on in South Africa, but having Drogba and Kalou on board will do him no harm at all.

Marcel Desailly Criticises Chelsea Before Manchester United Trip

Marcel Desailly has offered a scathing assessment of Chelsea's chances of regaining the Premier League title this season before Saturday's trip to Manchester United, with the club's former centre-half claiming "five players have to leave the club" in the summer.

The former France star spent six years at Stamford Bridge, joining them after winning the 1998 World Cup. He made 222 league appearances, before leaving in 2004, a year before José Mourinho secured the club's first league title in 50 years. He pinpointed United's consistency in midfield as potentially crucial as Sir Alex Ferguson's side pursue a fourth consecutive league championship success, with Chelsea still suffering from the loss of Michael Essien's dynamism in the centre.

"It looks like the [Chelsea] midfield have not really delivered protection to the defence," Desailly said. "The defensive block have had some problems this year. That is why they are not four, five or six points ahead because they have lost many points on free-kicks and just generally losing their concentration. Previously the midfield was absolutely amazing.

"Even if they weren't winning the Premier League, it was holding the team. The midfield was really playing well. Now Joe Cole is not expressing himself as he wanted, [Michael] Ballack has disappeared the last two months, [Jon Obi] Mikel is playing his best but the team misses Essien. So this is why the defence is suffering."

With those failings in mind, Desailly predicted a summer of change in south-west London. "First they need to get rid of four or five guys who are not Chelsea players," he told the Premier League's website. "I think five players have to leave the club. After that it depends on the finances. People are talking about [the Bayern Munich winger Franck] Ribéry but Ribéry is a problem because they have [Florent] Malouda on the left. I'm not sure if they will spend again.

"When you look at the two teams, United have a small advantage on the consistency they are showing in the midfield. Absolutely amazing. Players like [Darren] Fletcher, Nani coming back at a high level and [Antonio] Valencia have made a contribution. Let's not even talk about [Ryan] Giggs. Right the way back to [Edwin] van der Sar, it's a real team, a group. That's why I believe that Manchester United today have more energy than Chelsea."

Di Maria Dismisses Move To England

Benfica ace Angel Di Maria has played down talk of a possible move to England.

Di Maria is one of the most sought-after talents in Europe after catching the eye for club and country over the last year.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been linked with the flying winger along with a host of other top European clubs.

"I am not interested in the rumours - in England they look through everything with a magnifying glass but I don't have to worry about it," said Di Maria.

"At the moment I am only interested in Benfica and I think we can win anywhere in Europe."

No Coincidence: Frank Lampard’s Return to Form Coincides With Chelsea’s

As Frank Lampard goes, Chelsea goes; an adage that has served the west Londoners well over the past decade, as Lampard’s form rarely takes prolonged dips. But for the month of February and first half of March, the engine that has driven Chelsea to such great successes was showing a few leaks.

Season after season, the Chelsea attack has gone through their number 8. For all his lack of pizazz or flash, Frank Lampard has been Chelsea’s (and arguably the Premier League’s) most consistent player for the past seven years. Pundits and fans alike were looking for answers as to why Chelsea had lost their edge in recent weeks. Certainly there are a multitude of reasons one could find: John Terry’s errant performances in the wake of the Wayne Bridge scandal, the plethora of defensive injuries hurting the side, or Carlo Ancelotti simply being outcoached. While these developments have definitely affected the team greatly, it is the fact that Lampard looked bizarrely lost in games that sent Chelsea into a skid.

As the attack centered more on Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba, Lampard seemed unable to make an impact on games, or even find what space to occupy as attacks developed. It seemed as if games would drift by without a mention of his name. He was not finding that five yards of space between the opponents’ midfield and defense where he could launch his deadly long shots, from which he has scored so many goals over the years. Perhaps the timing was off with his teammates, but it seemed his late runs into the box were never found, nor was he able to set himself up in midfield, survey the field and pick out a rushing fullback down the flank or a diagonal run from a forward he could send through. These are the cornerstones of Lampard’s game, and for about a six-week spell his form perilously fell from grace. And not coincidentally, so did Chelsea’s.

Despite Drogba and Malouda playing lights out, something was missing from the Chelsea attack, making them much too reliant on Drogba’s strength and Malouda’s flare. Indeed, the spaces that Lampard should have been occupying were being taken over by Malouda, and as fast as the Frenchman’s star was rising, Lampard’s was falling. Aside from his brace in the humbling 4-2 defeat versus Manchester City, the Chelsea legend went 10 games in February and early March without scoring and getting only one assist, which are telling statistics. Why? Over that span Chelsea dropped 10 EPL points over eight matches and got knocked out of the Champions League. Indeed, in his outings against Internazionale and his former mentor Jose Mourinho, Lampard never even showed up and had zero impact over the two matches.

This stretch was enough to make a soccer fan think. It seemed too long a blip to be just temporary. Is he just not fitting in Ancelotti’s system? Are his best days behind him and has Ancelotti given the reins of attack over to Malouda and Drogba? Then again, it is Frank Lampard we are talking about. Surely he will bounce back. Right?

‘Bounce back’ would be an injustice to describe Lampard’s last two matches. Whatever happened between his tepid performance against Blackburn (which saw Manchester United go top of the table) and his dominant showing three days later against lowly Pompey only Frank knows. Against Portsmouth, he was back to his old self: pinpoint longballs, shooting on sight and always testing the keeper, finding Drogba over the top or on the ground, and making timely runs which were now being rewarded. For 90 minutes he was the man of the match despite not scoring, and to see him so frustrated at not getting a goal showed he knew his game was back. Rather than look lost, he looked hungry. And he got his just rewards with a 90th minute goal.

Then, we all saw the destruction against a good Aston Villa side. Plundering home four goals still didn’t speak to the impact he had on the match. Lampard was simply everywhere, and could have had five were it not for his selfless lay-off to Malouda for Chelsea’s fifth in the 7-1 demolition.

Five goals for Lampard and twelve for Chelsea in the last two matches will surely intimidate the unflappable Alex Ferguson. It seems that as Frank Lampard has hit his stride so has Chelsea, setting up the English game of the year this Saturday: Manchester United v Chelsea at Old Trafford to quite possibly decide the title. Enough to give any soccer fan goosebumps.

Desailly: Managing The Midfield

Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly believes the midfield battle will be crucial when we step out at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

We head into the game one point behind our opponents Manchester United at the top of the Barclays Premier League, knowing an away win would strike a huge psychological blow to the hosts.

Desailly, no stranger to high pressure matches during his time with Chelsea between 1998 and 2004, believes gaining the upper hand will prove decisive, given United's counter-attacking style.

'For me it is the Chelsea midfield that needs to press and handle Manchester United,' he assesses. 'United counter-attack and so it is a team matter, spirit will make the difference, I am not sure just one guy can make the difference.

'We have an Italian coach who is very clever tactically, he understands the game and that he needs to win, but you have to be very careful because Manchester United is a team that does not really play, they let the opponent get confidence, then counter-attack and make the difference. That means Chelsea have to have two players in midfield who stay all the time in position.'

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger suggested our Champions League exit may damage the club's hopes on the domestic front also, but Desailly believes it allows the side to focus on its main challenge.

'I am happy because the players can now focus,' he told the Official Chelsea Website. 'Having the Champions League is something extra in your season, Manchester United is playing for both, physically, psychologically, it is hard, Chelsea have one target - it will not give extra energy, but they know what is left for them and they can concentrate, which is vital.'

Having been reluctant to point to key individuals in this clash, Desailly did have praise for the recent form of his compatriot Florent Malouda, who has scored four times in his last two games, and looks a certain starter in the north west.

'It is so nice to see him smiling, playing well and scoring,' said the World Cup winner. 'It is great to see how confidently he is playing. A couple of years ago people didn't want him to stay, but the club have done well giving him a new contract and he is at peace, that's why he is performing.'

Desailly, Chelsea legend and judge for 'Barclays Around the World in 90 Minutes', is calling on football fans around the globe to record their matchday experience during our match, and all other Barclays Premier League fixtures this weekend.

'I am very pleased how people have shared their experiences of the matchday experience so far, people from all over the world, Japan, Australia, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, it's amazing to see the impact of the Barclays Premier League,' he said. 'I hope after this weekend we receive even more from fans around the world.'

Mancienne Waits On Decision

Michael Mancienne has indicated that he does not want to hold talks with Wolves regarding his future until after the season has finished.

The on-loan Chelsea defender has spent the campaign at Molineux in order to increase his experience and has impressed while with Mick McCarthy's men.

McCarthy has indicated that he wants discussions with Mancienne before the end of his deal in the summer and he also plans to build a dialogue with Chelsea on the subject.

But Mancienne, who spent time with Wolves as they gained promotion from the Championship last season, wants to concentrate on ensuring his current club stay in the Premier League after collecting a vital eight points from the last four games.

The 22-year-old said: "I'm not even thinking about it (my future) to be honest.

"All I'm concentrating on is these last six games for Wolves. As to what happens after that we'll have to see."

Mancienne has started or come on as a substitute in 25 league games this season and in recent matches has operated in a central midfield role.

He said: "I have played in this position before, but I'm learning about it more and more every time I play it.

"I am happy playing anywhere I'm put, but I do enjoy the midfield role."

Chelsea Set For Mass Exodus To Fund £32m Premier League Duo Swoop?

Chelsea are reportedly set for a summer clearout ahead of ambitious moves for two Premier League stars. Carlo Ancelotti is ready to bid farewell to four first team squad members to help fund the deals as Roman Abramovich is not overly keen on bankrolling the club’s transfer budget from his seemingly thinning wallet.

The Russian billionaire apparently lost a large chunk of his fortune in the global recession and is more than willing to invest in new additions to the Stamford Bridge side but would also like to see the club’s wage bill trimmed before doing so.

Joe Cole is still yet to sign a new contract and could be on his way to Man United, Deco has already made it clear he would like to be allowed to make a move to Brazil with Fluninese the most likely destination for the former Barcelona man. John Obi Mikel is also struggling to get first team action and could be deemed surplus to requirements likewise perennial sub Salomon Kalou.

The players Ancelotti hopes to lure to west London are Everton pair Steven Pienaar and Jack Rodwell. David Moyes is sure to try to block any such Goodison Park raid but may find it hard to prevent either player from having their heads turned by the prospect of such a move.

Highly rated youngster Rodwell is also being targeted by Sir Alex Ferguson who apparently sees the England Under-21 international as an ideal long term replacement for veteran Paul Scholes. South African playmaker Steven Pienaar has performed wonderfully this season and could well be ready to make a move back into the type of Champions League action he enjoyed whilst at Ajax.

The two are valued together at around 32m and should Chelsea be able to fund such a move by losing high earners such as Deco from their wage bill as well as getting decent sums for other peripheral figures then perhaps these deals could become a reality, albeit a reality the Toffees boss will fight tooth and nail to prevent.