Chelsea looking for revenge

Liverpool are European champions but Chelsea will start as favourites when the two English rivals clash in the Champions League for the third time in five months on Wednesday.

Liverpool were the last team to beat the English champions in any competition when a disputed goal from Luis Garcia after just four minutes of the second leg of their semi-final gave them a 1-0 aggregate win at Anfield on May 3.

Although Chelsea clinched their first league title for 50 years four days after that defeat, coach Jose Mourinho still claimed he was dissatisfied with the season because they failed to win the European Cup.

Liverpool went on to do exactly that when they beat AC Milan on penalties in Istanbul. Now Chelsea are back at Anfield seeking revenge in what is likely to be a tense Group G encounter.

Chelsea skipper John Terry described the Anfield defeat as "the worst I have ever felt after a football match," but he's had a lot to be happy about since then with Chelsea starting the season with eight straight successes comprising seven league victories and a Champions League win over Anderlecht.

Few teams now intimidate Chelsea and they travel to Livepool with their confidence sky-high and victory in the European Cup final in Paris in May top priority on their agenda.

On Wednesday, Mourinho could welcome back close-season Spanish signing Asier del Horno at left back after a thigh injury, strengthening a defence that has conceded only one goal all season -- in Saturday's 2-1 win over Aston Villa.

He is likely also to play Argentine Hernan Crespo [Images], who has his own reasons for wanting revenge against Liverpool after scoring twice while on loan at Milan in the Istanbul final but still finishing on the losing side.

Liverpool appear to have started this season as they ended last -- playing below par in the league but better in Europe.

They have won one and drawn four of their opening five league games, scoring just three times and conceding only two, but they were far more impressive beating Real Betis 2-1 in Spain in their opening Group G game two weeks ago.

Liverpool's fulcrum, captain Steven Gerrard, also looks to be coming back into form after injury and was close to his best in his side's 2-2 draw at Brimingham on Saturday.

The midfielder, who changed his mind over signing for Chelsea in July, scored seven times as Liverpool progressed through the qualifying rounds while Djibril Cisse has also hit seven this season, including a penalty in the 2-2 draw with Birmingham City on Saturday.

Liverpool host Chelsea twice in five days and manager Rafael Benitez said all his side needed to be playing at 100 per cent.

"You cannot afford to make any mistakes," he said. "We have beaten them before and we can beat them again. They are a better team than last year but we're a better team as well."

Liverpool: 25-Jose Reina; 17-Josemi, 4-Sami Hyypia, 23-Jamie Carragher, 6-John-Arne Riise; 8-Steven Gerrard, 16-Dietmar Hamann, 14-Xabi Alonso, 30-Boudewijn Zenden; 10-Luis Garcia, 9-Djibril Cisse

Chelsea: 1-Petr Cech; 20-Paul Ferreira, 13-William Gallas, 26-John Terry, 3-Asier del Horno (6-or Ricardo Carvalho); 4-Claude Makelele, 5-Michael Essien, 8-Frank Lampard; 11-Damien Duff, 9-Hernan Crespo, 16-Arjen Robben.

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