• FA Cup

Chelsea, Liverpool and one very special trophy

ESPN staff
May 4, 2012
Craig Bellamy has got under the skin of Chelsea on more than one occasion for Liverpool this season © Getty Images
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Back in the days of Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez, Chelsea versus Liverpool was as keenly-fought an engagement as any in English football. The two went head-to-head so often that they became as sick of the sight of each other as the rest of the nation was of watching a series of attritional battles that were won by a single goal at best. A pair of 0-0 draws in the group stages of the 2005-06 Champions League was the nadir.

Those were halcyon days for both clubs. They were among Europe's best with two of the best coaches in the game. The last time the pair met in a major final was the Carling Cup final of 2005, where Mourinho won his first trophy at Chelsea on a day when Steven Gerrard, heavily rumoured to be joining the Blues that summer, scored an own-goal he later described as "one of the lowest days I've had as a footballer".

At 31, Gerrard is now the veteran one-club man whose experience of the big occasion is expected to carry his team-mates through. His opposite number is John Terry, the same age and similarly loyal to the club where he made his bones. Both lead clubs whose 2011-12 has been soap operatic but now has a chance to end in glory.

Should Gerrard lift a second cup for Kenny Dalglish, to follow February's triumph over Cardiff City in the Carling Cup, then this can be remembered as a season of marked success for Liverpool. Despite pitiful home league form at Anfield, the abandonment of hopes of returning to the Champions League and the Luis Suarez affair, there will be no asterisk next to the club's name in the record books' roll of honour.

With Chelsea's push to qualify for next season's Champions League via the Premier League all but denied by Papiss Cisse's rocket-guided shooting in midweek, this is likely to be Terry's last chance to make a meaningful contribution this season. Thanks to his own recklessness, he must sit out the continental showpiece in Munich in a fortnight.

Terry and co, and especially Didier Drogba, are old stagers at Wembley while Liverpool are making their third visit to the five-year-old stadium. Having been favourites in both their previous visits, including the Merseyside derby semi-final with Everton, Liverpool are slight underdogs this time. That perhaps plays into the hands of Dalglish since his team have noticeably performed better against bigger teams than supposed lesser lights. Tuesday's no-show against Fulham saw precisely nobody of his second string play their way into contention for a final spot, and confirmed the squad's struggles against supposedly inferior opposition.

For Chelsea, the reign of Andre Villas-Boas, barely two months ago, seems a world away. Roberto Di Matteo has brought unity, and some tactical nuances that would probably appal "AVB" but have been markedly more successful than the man he once assisted. In delivering Chelsea to Munich, and Wembley once more, he has given himself a more-than-fighting-chance of being the next Chelsea boss.

Both he and Dalglish have the chance to put previous ills behind them via the ever-reliable panacea of silverware.

Liverpool focused on FA Cup glory

Chelsea player to watch: Didier Drogba: Chelsea's Wembley wizard confirmed his love of this stage with a tremendous opening goal in the semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool have been a particular speciality in the past too, and Jamie Carragher specifically has often been on the wrong end of Drogba at his unplayable best. Despite Fernando Torres' recent rush of form, Liverpool fans will have to wait to boo him, since the two do not work as a pair and Drogba is almost always the man for the big occasion.

Liverpool player to watch: Luis Suarez: For those invested in the brave new world of social media, the most-discussed player of the 2011-12 season has been Suarez and all will know the reasons why. That debate will probably continue to pointlessly bubble on for years to come but the Uruguayan can be remembered for far more positive reasons should he put in a match-winning performance here. It was his instinct and coolness that turned the semi-final with Everton when he seized on Sylvain Distin's error to pull his team level. More of the same will be required at Wembley.

Key battle: Roberto Di Matteo v Kenny Dalglish: The cynic may suggest that both are battling to be in their current job next season. Di Matteo's remit would seem to be winning the Champions League or bust, though the small matter of an FA Cup may help his cause. In the light of Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho looking unavailable it may just be enough to get him the gig. Dalglish meanwhile, is still the untouchable legend among the majority of fans so any departure would seem to be in his own hands. It would take a brave Fenway Sports Group to axe him if he wins this trophy. In terms of on-field matters, Di Matteo seems to employ horses for courses, with the renaissance of Salomon Kalou being a notable result of this, while Dalglish is likely to utilise the pace of Craig Bellamy, who has already tormented Chelsea twice this season.

Trivia: On all three occasions Liverpool had beaten Everton in an FA Cup semi-final before this season, the Reds went on to lose the final.

Stats: Excluding the Community Shield, Didier Drogba has scored in all seven of his matches at Wembley. Suarez has scored in all three of his FA Cup appearances for the Reds.

Odds: Chelsea are favourites at bet365 at odds of 2.40, with Liverpool at 3.00. Fancy extra time? Then 3.25 is your price.

Prediction: This is a match that will be won the Liverpool way - on penalties, as they have won their last three major trophies.

ESPN Fan Films - Final Episode: Chelsea v Liverpool

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