Champions lead opponents 9-4 since start of Premier

Tomorrow's curtain-raiser for yet another Premiership campaign in Cardiff - the Community Shield - will involve the league champions Chelsea and FA Cup holders Liverpool. Since the start of the Premier League in 1992, the champions held the upperhand on nine occasions in this contest.

The FA Premier decided that on occasions when a club won both League and FA Cup in one season, the runners-up in the Premiership will offer opposition to the champions.

For tomorrow's showpiece the Football Association decided that the two teams will be allowed seven substitutes each on the bench - with six changes allowed during the 90 minutes.

Both managers were satisfied about the change in rules as they reckon it to be more helpful in their pre-season preparations. In case of a draw the match will go straight into a penalty shoot-out.

This will also be a staggering 11th duel between Iberian coaches - Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez - since they arrived in England in 2004.

*The last encounter took place at Old Trafford in April in the semi-final of the FA Cup. On that occasion, Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-1 (Riise, Garcia - Drogba) and went on to lift the trophy after a penalty shoot-out against West Ham.

As happened the year before, Chelsea made the double on Liverpool in the 2005-06 Premiership.

Although the Merseysiders lost in the 2005 League Cup final in Cardiff by the odd goal in five against Chelsea, Liverpool edged through 1-0 on aggregate in the semi-final of the Champions League on their way to a memorable victory vs Milan.

Last year, two 0-0 draws between Chelsea and Liverpool saw the latter finishing top of the group stage of the Champions League. So, Chelsea and Liverpool have met on five occasions in each season, and will open the 2006-07 campaign with yet another clash.

The overall record in league commitments since their very first meetings in Division One way back in 1907-08 (Chelsea won 4-1 at Anfield and Liverpool avenged that upset with a 2-0 second-round triumph at Stamford Bridge) is - played 126, Liverpool 57, Chelsea 43, draws 26.

Both sides will parade new players at Cardiff. Mourinho will have Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack in his squad while Liverpool will parade Mark Gonzalez and Craig Bellamy among others

This season, Mourinho is bidding for a third straight championship crown and Benitez looking to claim his first league success. Tomorrow, both will be in search of an early edge before next week's big kick-off. Chelsea are at home to Manchester City and Liverpool away at newcomers Sheffield United.

In midweek, John Terry was preferred to Steven Gerrard for the England skipper's role after David Beckham relinquished the armband following elimination from the World Cup.

While Gerrard said he envied the Chelsea captain since he wished to complete a winners medal set by finishing on top of the heap in the championship, Terry remarked how he longed to win Europe's elite Champions Cup.

Both players, however, failed to leave their mark in the World Cup and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, named as the least impressive England player in Germany by the fans, criticised Sven-Goran Eriksson, like the rest of the football world, for not including Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe in the squad instead of Arsenal youngster Theo Walcott.

On Wednesday, Liverpool struggled at home to Maccabi Haifa and won 2-1 in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round.

In the all-time 'Shield' successes list Liverpool, who figured 19 times in the pre-season contest, carried the honours outright on nine occasions. The Reds had also shared the prize five times - three times with Manchester United and one each with Everton and West Ham.

Liverpool were the first Wembley victors in 1974 - the first-ever Charity Shield match that was decided on penalties - 6-5 against Leeds.

In their last appearance in the season's earliest game, Liverpool came a cropper and lost 0-1 to Arsenal.