Xabi Alonso is confident Liverpool can get a result from
their visit to Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Xabi Alonso has illustrated the rising confidence
at Liverpool by
insisting that Rafael Benítez's team are equipped to enhance their
title challenge by ending Chelsea's proud
unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Chelsea last tasted defeat on home soil in the
Premier League in February 2004 against Arsenal.
Liverpool last emerged victorious at Stamford Bridge a month before
that with a 1-0 win courtesy of Bruno Cheyrou, otherwise a flop at
Anfield - but it remains their only league triumph at Chelsea since
1989.
Statistics are not stacked solely against the visitors in
Sunday's encounter between first and second place in the Premier
League, however. Liverpool are undefeated in all competitions for
six months and their 20-point return from the opening eight games
represents their finest start to a league campaign since Benítez
arrived from Valencia in 2004.
Having finally beaten Manchester United in the league under the
Spaniard this season, Alonso sees no reason why Liverpool cannot
end Chelsea's remarkable run of 86 league games unbeaten at
Stamford Bridge and inflict a first defeat in English football on
Luiz Felipe Scolari.
"We know Chelsea have a great record at home in the Premier
League. They haven't been beaten for four years at home and it is
going to be really tough, but we honestly feel we are ready to get
a good result there," the Liverpool midfielder said yesterday.
"Beating United in our first big test of the season was very
important for our confidence and this is another big test for
us.
"Being the first team to beat Chelsea at home in the league
after all this time would put us in a great position and it would
send out an important statement, but we have to beat them first
before we can think about things like this. Winning at Stamford
Bridge could spur us on for the rest of the season but, even if we
win, it would still be too early in the season to say too much
about winning the title. There is still a long way to go."
Alonso was one of three injury doubts after Liverpool's
Champions League draw at Atlético Madrid on Wednesday but is likely
to have recovered from his knee problem before Sunday. Likewise
Robbie Keane (groin) and Steven Gerrard (fatigue) are expected to
feature against Chelsea, although Liverpool are awaiting a doctor's
assessment of the Republic of Ireland captain before finalising
their squad for the trip to west London. Fernando Torres is not
expected to travel despite his intensive efforts to recover from a
hamstring tear suffered on international duty with Spain last
week.
"Fernando will be a big loss against Chelsea but we know we can
manage the situation; we have to, and we have more strength in
depth and more confidence now than we have had before. After the
results we have had this season we are right to be confident,"
added Alonso.
"What happened in the semi-final won't have an influence on this
game, I am sure of that," insisted the Spain international. "This
is a different season, there are different players on both sides, a
different manager at Chelsea and we can only focus on what happens
during this game. We won't prepare for this game thinking about the
Champions League semi-final or by using that for extra motivation.
Both teams now have new targets to concentrate on and hopefully we
can be the team to end their unbeaten home record."
Alonso admits, however, that Liverpool can ill afford to rely on
yet another comeback to beat Chelsea, having won four of their
eight league games this season after falling behind. The midfielder
said: "We won't be going to Stamford Bridge with any fear. We
respect them as a very good side but we are confident in our own
ability and we believe we can win.
"What we cannot afford to do against Chelsea, though, is start
as slowly as we have done in some games. We need to concentrate
fully for 90 minutes because the quality of their players means
they can punish you at any time."
Premier League
2004-05
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool 0-1 Chelsea
2005-06
Liverpool 1-4 Chelsea
Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool
2006-07
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea
2007-08
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
FA Cup
2005-06 Semi-final
Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool
Carling Cup
2004-05 Final
Liverpool 2-3 Chelsea aet
2007-08 Quarter-final
Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool
Champions League
2004-05 Semi-final
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea
2005-06 Group stage
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
2006-07 Semi-final
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea aet
(Liverpool win 4-1 on penalties)
2007-08 Semi-final
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
Chelsea 3-2 Liverpool aet
