Stern test awaits Chelsea

Chelsea, five points clear of Arsenal and Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, travel to Anfield to play Liverpool tomorrow.

The Reds are breathing more easily now as back-to-back wins over Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers lifted them out of the danger zone and into 13th place. On Thursday, they also beat Napoli 3-1 in the Europa League.

Chelsea, with goalkeeper Petr Cech back in form, edged Blackburn to extend their positive run as the Blues have only lost once in 10 Premier League matches.

The win at Ewood Park preserved Chelsea’s record as the team with most away wins so far this season.

This week, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti saw his team securing a place in the last 16 of the Champions League after their home 4-1 win over Spartak Moscow.

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson was under intense pressure but now he appears to have turned the corner. A positive outcome tomorrow would further strengthen his position.

Last season, Chelsea did the double on the Reds after claiming identical 2-0 victories.

Drama marred Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Tottenham a few days after United veteran Gary Neville admitted that he had been lucky not to be shown the red card in the 2-1 victory at Stoke City.

United midfielder Darren Fletcher remarked after the Tottenham game that Nani would have faced a dressing-room backlash had he not scored the controversial goal that sealed the 2-0 victory over the Spurs.

United stay at Old Trafford today to entertain a buoyant Wolves who beat Man. City 2-1 in their last outing. In their Champions League match away to Turkish champions Bursaspor, the Red Devils won 3-0.

At the Emirates, Arsenal cross swords with Newcastle, who are on a high after their nap-hand triumph over Sunderland in the north-east derby.

Arsenal left it late to beat West Ham last week but it is the points that count in the end. The Gunners could have secured qualification to the Champions League KO phase in midweek but were beaten by Eduardo’s Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1.

Stuttering Manchester City should admit that they are not the same team without Carlos Tevez.

Tomorrow, the Citizens travel to the Midlands to combat West Brom at the Hawthorns in a duel between two Italian coaches, Roberto Man-cini and Roberto di Matteo.

Tottenham are still basking in glory after their 3-1 victory over Champions League holders Inter at White Hart Lane. The Spurs face Bolton at the Reebok Stadium in the early kick-off.

After their win over West Brom, Ian Holloway’s Blackpool tackle Everton at Bloomfield Road. The last top-flight match at this venue ended in a 2-0 victory for the Toffees (Morrisey, Husband) in September 1970.

David Moyes’s Everton are undefeated in their last five league outings.

Birmingham, delighted to have come away from Villa Park with a point in the derby against Aston Villa, have won only twice in the league this season.

The Blues can slip fall further down the standings if they fail to beat bottom-placed West Ham at St Andrews today.

Birmingham are just two points above the relegation zone.

Fixtures and forecast

Premier League

Birmingham-West Ham - X
Blackburn-Wigan - 1
Blackpool-Everton - 2
Bolton-Tottenham 13:45 - X
Fulham-Aston Villa - X
Man. United-Wolves - 1
Sunderland-Stoke - 1

Playing tomorrow:
Arsenal-Newcastle 14:30 - 1
Liverpool-Chelsea 17:00 - 1
West Brom-Man. City 16:00 - X

Standings: Chelsea 25; Arsenal, Man. United 20; Man. City 17; Tottenham, West Brom 15; Newcastle 14; Everton, Blackpool 13; Fulham, Bolton, Sunderland, Liverpool, Aston Villa 12; Birmingham City 11; Stoke, Wigan 10; Blackburn, Wolves 9; West Ham 6.

Fa Cup (first round)

Acc. Stanley-Oldham - X
Wimbledon-Ebbsfleet United - 1
Barnet-Charlton - 2
Bournemouth-Tranmere - 1
Brentford-Aldershot - 1
Brighton-Woking - 1
Bury-Exeter - 2
Cambridge-Huddersfield 18:30 - 2
Carlisle-Tipton Town - 1
Chelmsford-Hendon - 1
Cheltenham-Morecambe - 1
Colchester-Bradford - 1
Corby-Luton - 2
Dagenham-Leyton Orient - X
Darlington-Bristol Rovers - 2
Dartford-Port Vale - 2
Fleetwood Town-Walsall - 2
Forest Green-Northampton - X
Gillingham-Dover - 1
Guiseley-Crawley Town - X
Harrow-Chesterfield 15:00 - 2
Hartlepool-Vauxhall Motors - 1
Havant-Droylsden - X
Hayes-Wycombe - X
Hereford-Hythe Town - X
Lincoln City-Nuneaton - 1
Macclesfield-Southend - X
Mansfield-Torquay - X
Notts County-Gateshead - 1
Plymouth-Swindon - X
Rotherham-York - 1
Rushden-Yeovil - X
Southampton-Shrewsbury - 1
Stevenage-MK Dons - X
Stockport-Peterborough - X
S. Supermarine-E. Tow - 1
Tamworth-Crewe - X

Playing tomorrow:
Southport-Sheff. Wed. 13:00 - 2
Burton Albion-Oxford 16:00 - X

The Championship

Barnsley-Leicester - 2
Bristol City-Preston - 1
Coventry-Leeds United - 1
Doncaster-Millwall - X
Hull-Scunthorpe - 1
Middlesbrough-Crystal Palace - 1
Norwich-Burnley - 1
QPR-Reading - 1
Sheff. United-Ipswich - 1
Watford-Nott’m Forest - X
Derby-Portsmouth 18:20 - X

Tomorrow:
Cardiff-Swansea 14:10 - 1