Chelsea 1 - 0 Liverpool

Chelsea v Liverpool: Preview

Updated: April 24, 2007, 7:43 PM UK

Jose Mourinho demonstrated yet again that the art of playing mind games with the opposition is still one of his greatest skills by claiming Liverpool will do all they can to get top scorer Didier Drogba booked in the Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge.

Drogba is a yellow card away from a suspension that will rule him out of the return leg at Anfield and Mourinho fears the worst.

Yet the Portuguese coach was not content to merely voice his concerns over Liverpool's potential treatment of his 31-goal Ivorian striker, he also hinted the Merseysiders were not as big as Chelsea because they had concentrated solely on the Champions League.

But Mourinho is already preparing the groundwork for two cataclysmic semi-final games against the team that he still maintains beat them at the same stage of the competition two years ago without scoring a goal.

But while he insists that `revenge' is not on his mind, he was quick to point out that Liverpool must be favourites because of Chelsea's injuries, fatigued players and a dire disciplinary situation.

Joe Cole and Lassana Diarra, like Drogba, are just one booking away from missing the second leg and Mourinho believes Rafa Benitez's side will make the most of it - especially where Drogba is concerned.

Mourinho declared: "The fact is they don't have players on yellow cards. They had an easy group in the Champions League and had a chance to `clean' cards.

"For example Dirk Kuyt getting a card in the last minute against PSV was because he didn't want to play in the second game to be clean for the rest of the competition.

"We have Essien suspended and a lot of players with two yellow cards and it would not surprise me if they chase Drogba for 90 minutes to try and get him suspended for the second game.

"So even on that they are on a different level than us. They have more conditions than us, but we will see who wins. Our intention is to play the game and try to win.''

But, in typically ebullient fashion, Mourinho went on to outline just why Liverpool are in a better situation to win the two-legged tie than his side.

He added: "Two years ago Liverpool were just playing for the Champions League and this season they are doing the same. Two years ago, before we played them, we were fighting to be champions. This season we are fighting to be champions again.

"Now we have a lot of injuries and a suspension. We can say that our opponent has been preparing for this game for a long time and we have been preparing for it since Monday.

"Fatigue is obvious. Everybody knows that in this moment of the season, maximum power is absolutely crucial. In this moment many things are decided by that and not with quality.

"If you ask me about the favourites, Liverpool should be the favourites.

"They are favourites because in the year 2007, we have played 27 matches and Liverpool play three or four.

"Steven Gerrard didn't play the last game. Do you think Gerrard and Frank Lampard have the same conditions to compete against each other - I don't think it will be a fair fight.

"If you are not a big club, you choose one competition and you fight in that competition and forget the others.

"Big clubs - we cannot do this. We have to go on until we can and try the maximum we can. It is a risk to try and win everything or nothing, or almost nothing because we have the Carling Cup.''

Meanwhile, Benitez has turned up the heat on Chelsea by claiming the tournament is now their priority.

The Liverpool manager aims to repeat the semi-final triumph he masterminded almost exactly two years ago on the way to the club's fifth European Cup final victory.

But by highlighting the Blues' desire to win the world's major club trophy, he has subtly implied that they are likely to fail to complete a hat-trick of Premiership crowns following their critical draw at Newcastle.

He said: "Can Chelsea win the title now? I do not know, they will go right to the end, that is clear. But Manchester United have done a great job, a fantastic season.

"The Champions League will be Chelsea's priority - they will know that it is the major competition now for them and they will be really focused on that.

"The Premiership title is important to them certainly, they have won the last two, but now I feel they will thinking more about the Champions League.''

Steve Finnan has recovered from a neck problem and Jamie Carragher is about to equal Ian Callaghan's club record of 89 European appearances.