Blues ready for L'pool

If their pre-season plans had materialised, Liverpool would have been travelling to Chelsea this weekend looking to stamp their authority on the battle for the Premier League trophy.
Instead, Rafael Benitez's men find themselves out of the title race and engaged in a cut-throat four-way battle to finish fourth in the table and secure the final qualifying spot for next season's Champions League.
So it was little surprise that Benitez was in the mood for grumbling this week and the Spaniard's humour was not improved by learning that he will have to take his squad to Stamford Bridge without star striker Fernando Torres.
Liverpool's leading goalscorer tweaked a hamstring in Spain's friendly win over France in midweek and Benitez is not prepared to gamble on his most valuable asset aggravating the injury ahead of equally important FA Cup and Champions League matches later in the month.
"It is a big blow. Fernando was scoring lots of goals and I will now have to think of a different partnership," Benitez said.
The Liverpool boss may also have to reshuffle his midfield as his first-choice anchorman, Javier Mascherano, was only due back in England on Friday after a gruelling midweek trip to Los Angeles, where he played for Argentina in a friendly win over Guatemala.
Chelsea will have John Obi Mikel available to them again after Nigeria's quarterfinal exit from the African Nations Cup.
After dropping two points at Portsmouth last weekend, Avram Grant's side have slipped to six points behinds leaders Arsenal and can ill-afford any more setbacks.
Arsenal, who are sweating on the fitness of increasingly influential midfielder Matthieu Flamini, are not in action until Monday, when Blackburn Rovers visit the Emirates Stadium.
By then, Manchester United could be back on top after what promises to be an emotional derby match on Sunday.
The encounter will be the first match at Old Trafford since Wednesday's 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster, in which eight United players and the former City goalkeeper Frank Swift, who was working as a reporter at the time, lost their lives.
United's status as strong favourites to retain their title took a dent when they were held to a 1-1 draw at revitalised Tottenham last weekend.
But their manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is confident that hiccup can be quickly forgotten.
"Your confidence is based on what you see on the football field," Ferguson said. "Obviously the way the team is performing at the moment, and the squad we have got together, gives you that confidence.
"These players have a great team spirit among them. They're hungry players, they never give in as they demonstrated last Saturday at Tottenham. These are fantastic qualities to take into the second half of the season."
United will be looking for revenge over City having lost the first derby match of the season.
The pick of Saturday's matches sees Newcastle, who are still seeking a win since Kevin Keegan returned to the club, travel to Aston Villa, one of the sides battling with Liverpool for the final Champions League place.
Everton, who currently occupy fourth place, entertain relegation-threatened Reading.