Chelsea looks to add to silverware collection

Chelsea's top table at their forthcoming Centenary Year banquet will have at least one glittering piece of silverware on it following their victory in the League Cup final on Sunday, and they will almost certainly have to make room for more.

As the week, which started with a blip, progressed to a self-inflicted crisis and ended in a pulsating 3-2 victory over Liverpool, Jose Mourinho and his men will now concentrate on more prestigious targets.

Victories in those games, especially if a win over Barcelona was to result in progress to the Champions League quarter-finals, would take Chelsea closer to the two prizes they covet most.

The Champions League, of course, is the big prize; the Premier League the more readily attainable one. Chelsea's next four games are against the four clubs currently occupying the bottom four positions in the league. Following Norwich they play West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace and Southampton.

On current form it seems inconceivable they will drop as much as one point to that quartet, but even if they do, their current six-point lead with a game in hand is likely to keep them on course for the title.

Mourinho, whose side have won 13 of their last 17 games in all competitions, has seen his side set an all-time record in the English top division of not conceding a goal for 10 league matches -- and they have the best record in any European league this season with only eight goals conceded.

Chelsea, bankrolled by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, reported a loss of 88 million pounds last year, small change to a man who could write it off without even noticing a dent in his wallet.

Chelsea have also been charged by the English FA for failing to control the players during the game at Blackburn on February 2 and face a number of other charges which could include a new one laid on Mourinho for his behaviour in Cardiff on Sunday.

Mourinho was ordered from the technical area for turning towards Liverpool fans with his finger to his lips after Chelsea's equaliser. The Portuguese said he was making the gesture at the media for criticising his team.

At least he has started his first season in English football with a trophy unlike Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.

Liverpool led from the 45th second of the match, when John-Arne Riise scored with a blistering left-foot volley, until the 79th minute when an own goal from Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard allowed Chelsea to equalise.

The London [Images] side, so dominant for long periods, then broke through with two scrambled goals in extra time from Didier Drogba [Images] and Mateja Kezman to go 3-1 ahead before Antonio Nunez completed the scoring with a late header for Liverpool.

It was Chelsea's first major honour for five years and the first tangible reward for Roman Abramovich who has invested more than 200 million pounds in the club. It is unlikely to be their last.

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