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| Carlo Ancelotti © Action Images |
Just in time to face title rival Liverpool, Carlo Ancelotti says he has resolved Chelsea's problems following a first loss of the season to Wigan and an arduous Champions League away win in Cyprus.
That's just as well for Ancelotti, because it was Liverpool's
victory at Stamford Bridge last October that ended Chelsea's
86-match unbeaten home record and sparked the slump that saw Luiz
Felipe Scolari's tenure as manager being prematurely curtailed.
"When the team is not doing well we have to look and do an
analysis," Ancelotti said Friday. "We did this and resolved the
problems. It is normal in football. On Sunday it is a test, but we
are happy to meet Liverpool in this moment."
Ancelotti, who was hired after Scolari's interim replacement
Guus Hiddink left, insists he is not feeling the pressure after the
3-1 loss at Wigan and the scrappy 1-0 victory at lowly APOEL
Nicosia.
Owner Roman Abramovich was at the club's training ground Friday
to survey his players - and Ancelotti.
"I don't think he's worried," Ancelotti said. "I think he's
happy because his team is at the top of the league and top of the
Champions League group."
Chelsea is being kept off the top of the standings on goal
difference by defending champion Manchester United, but enjoys a
three-point lead over Liverpool.
The Reds have already lost twice in the league this season and
are in need of a morale-boosting win Sunday after going down 2-0 at
Fiorentina in the Champions League on Wednesday.
"Chelsea had a 100 percent record until last weekend, but I'm
not really worried about them," forward Dirk Kuyt said. "If we play
to the level we're capable of, we can win there again. We beat them
home and away last season, so why not this year too?
"It's always a difficult game at Stamford Bridge but I believe
we showed something last season by winning there. By beating both
Chelsea and Man United twice in the league we proved we can beat
most teams home and away."
United hosts Sunderland on Saturday and manager Alex Ferguson is
amazed that Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes remain integral to the team
despite being in their mid-30s.
"Paul and Ryan are defying their age. They are playing with
great confidence and maturity in their game," Ferguson said. "It is
refreshing to see players retaining these qualities for such a long
time.
"Paul gave an incredible performance at Stoke (last Saturday).
He made 78 passes in the game. Four were off target. That is
phenomenal."
There is also an intense focus on the bottom of the standings
this weekend. West Ham is in desperate need of its first win of the
season against Fulham on Sunday to climb out of the relegation
zone, while Portsmouth, which is yet to even register one point in
seven attempts, is at Wolverhampton.
Also Saturday it is: Bolton vs. Tottenham, Burnley vs.
Birmingham; and Hull vs. Wigan.
Also Sunday, Arsenal - six points adrift of the pacesetters with
a game in hand - hosts Blackburn, and Stoke is at Everton.
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