With Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho hinting that he may be forced to play a reserve team against Liverpool on Sunday, this is the starting XI we feel the Portuguese could go with at Anfield ….
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GK: Mark Schwarzer
The 41-year-old Aussie came off the bench at the Calderon to replace the injured Petr Cech, and will definitely start in goal on Merseyside this weekend.
RB: Branislav Ivanovic
The Serbia international did not feature against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Blues’ Uefa Champions League semi-final on Tuesday due to suspension, which means he will be fresh to return to the starting lineup against the Reds.
CB: David Luiz
With the Brazil international flexible enough to feature in a number of different roles, do not be surprised at all to see Mourinho ask his shaggy-haired player to revert to a more familiar role as a centre back against Liverpool.
CB: John Obi Mikel
However, Mou may look to opt to protect his one and only fit central defender, Gary Cahill, by moving the Nigerian back into the heart of his back four as he did in the closing stages against Atleti after skipper John Terry was forced off through injury, especially as the water carrier is now suspended for the second-leg clash at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday night in any case.
LB: Ashley Cole
The experienced England left back was recalled to the team for the trip to the Spanish capital and expect the 33-year-old to retain his place against the Merseysiders this weekend having barely featured at all for the club in this campaign.
RW: Mohamed Salah
With the Egypt international cup tied in Europe after his arrival at Stamford Bridge from Swiss champions Basel in the recent January transfer window, the wide man will definitely line up on the right flank against the club who nearly bought him at the turn of the year.
CM: Frank Lampard
The veteran was another Blues player who picked up an untimely booking against Atletico on Tuesday that has now ruled the midfielder out of the return leg at the Bridge next week, so making the Englishman’s inclusion in the team to play Liverpool a formality.
CM: Nemanja Matic
Like with Salah, the Serbia international is also ineligible to play for the west London club in their Uefa Champions League campaign after featuring in the competition for former club Benfica earlier this season, meaning the holding midfielder is set to now line up in front of his back four at Anfield.
LW: Andre Schurrle
Another who only featured briefly in the Calderon on Tuesday, and so expect the clever Germany international to start on the visitors’ left wing against the Premier League leaders on Sunday afternoon.
ST: Demba Ba
The giant Senegal international did not start either of the west Londoners’ previous two fixtures against Atleti and Sunderland and so is now a certaintee to begin Sunday’s huge encounter at Liverpool up front.
ST: Fernando Torres
However, expect Mou to pair the former Reds goalscoring hero in attack alongside Ba in the hope that veteran striker Samuel Eto’o will have recovered from his knee injury in time to lead the line by himself against Atletico on Wednesday.
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