XABI ALONSO has illustrated the rising confidence at Liverpool by insisting that Rafael Benitez's team are equipped to enhance their title challenge by ending Chelsea's proud unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Chelsea last tasted defeat on home soil in the Premier League in February 2004 against Arsenal. Liverpool last emerged victorious at Stamford Bridge a month before that with a 1-0 win courtesy of Bruno Cheyrou, otherwise a flop at Anfield - but it remains their only league triumph at Chelsea since 1989.
Statistics are not stacked solely against the visitors in Sunday's encounter between first and second place in the Premier League, however. Liverpool are undefeated in all competitions for six months and their 20-point return from the opening eight games represents their finest start to a league campaign since Benitez arrived from Valencia in 2004.
Having finally beaten Manchester United in the league under the Spaniard this season, Alonso sees no reason why Liverpool cannot end Chelsea's remarkable run of 86 league games unbeaten at Stamford Bridge and inflict a first defeat in English football on Luiz Felipe Scolari.
"We know Chelsea have a great record at home in the Premier League. They haven't been beaten for four years at home and it is going to be really tough, but we honestly feel we are ready to get a good result there," the Liverpool midfielder said yesterday. "Beating United in our first big test of the season was very important for our confidence and this is another big test for us.
"Being the first team to beat Chelsea at home in the league after all this time would put us in a great position and it would send out an important statement, but we have to beat them first before we can think about things like this. Winning at Stamford Bridge could spur us on for the rest of the season but, even if we win, it would still be too early in the season to say too much about winning the title. There is still a long way to go."
Alonso was one of three injury doubts after Liverpool's Champions League draw at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday but is likely to have recovered from his knee problem before Sunday.
Likewise Robbie Keane (groin) and Steven Gerrard (fatigue) are expected to feature against Chelsea, although Liverpool are awaiting a doctor's assessment of the Republic of Ireland captain before finalising their squad for the trip to west London. Fernando Torres is not expected to travel despite his intensive efforts to recover from a hamstring tear suffered on international duty with Spain last week.
"Fernando will be a big loss against Chelsea but we know we can manage the situation; we have to, and we have more strength in depth and more confidence now than we have had before. After the results we have had this season we are right to be confident," added Alonso.
It is Chelsea who have the greater injury problems for Sunday, with Ashley Cole (hamstring), Joe Cole (ankle), Michael Ballack (feet), Michael Essien (knee) and Didier Drogba (knee) all expected to be missing against Liverpool.
Those absences, coupled with Liverpool's own impressive start to this campaign, support Alonso's contention that Benitez's team will not find extra motivation for Sunday by dwelling on last season's Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge - the last time Liverpool lost.
"What happened in the semi-final won't have an influence on this game, I am sure of that," insisted the Spain international.
Alonso admits, however, that Liverpool can ill afford to rely on yet another comeback to beat Chelsea, having won four of their eight league games this season after falling behind. The midfielder said: "We won't be going to Stamford Bridge with any fear. We respect them as a very good side but we are confident in our own ability and we believe we can win.
"What we cannot afford to do against Chelsea, though, is start as slowly as we have done in some games. We need to concentrate fully for 90 minutes because the quality of their players means they can punish you at any time."
Meanwhile, John Terry has rounded on the critics who question his England commitment and insisted he will always put his country before Chelsea.
Captain Terry showed his leadership qualities again on Wednesday night when he scored his first goal at Stamford Bridge for two years to earn a 1-0 win over Roma in the Champions League.
But the 27-year-old was fuming at continued speculation over how he managed to return for Chelsea's last two games after missing England's World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus with a back injury. "People should know what I'm like as a player and as a character," said Terry. "It's just disappointing that anyone would question my determination to play for my club or country."
Guardian Service
