NEWS ROUND-UP: EVERTON V CHELSEA: Luiz Felipe Scolari has strongly suggested he will deploy Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka as a striking partnership for tonight's encounter with Everton (Setanta Sport 1, 8pm)
The pair have yet to start up front together since Anelka joined Drogba at Stamford Bridge 11 months ago.
Indeed only twice have they started matches together in that time but, with Drogba having recovered from a knee injury and served a three-match suspension, Scolari is ready to line up last season's highest scorer with the club's current top marksman.
"He [Drogba] is ready to start all games, he is fit," said the Brazilian. "We have sometimes worked on Anelka and Drogba as a partnership in training last week and it looks good."
An Anelka-Drogba partnership has failed to materialise for a host of reasons, notably the Ivorian's presence at the African Cup of Nations when Anelka arrived in January and a number of serious injuries for him since, but the most prominent appears to be a reluctance to change the 4-3-2-1 formation that Chelsea have used since Jose Mourinho moved to the club in 2004.
Avram Grant stuck with it during his time in London, which resulted in Anelka playing wide on the two occasions he and Drogba did start together, as has Scolari in his first six months in charge.
But the team's difficulties in breaking down opponents this season, principally at home, has led to a rethink in tactics by the manager and a switch to 4-4-2.
Scolari travels to Merseyside on the back of his most difficult spell in England since his arrival in July. The 60-year-old remains resilient and, having steered Chelsea to a record 11th consecutive away victory at Bolton two weeks ago, is confident of a win against Everton that would take them above Liverpool.
"There is pressure on me but there is also pressure on everyone, all coaches need to win," he said.
• Guardian Service
PRIMERA LIGA: Real Madrid have agreed to sign France midfielder Lassana Diarra from Portsmouth, the Spanish champions said yesterday. Diarra (23), who will undergo a medical today, has agreed a contract until 2013. The deal is reputed to be worth around €21.5 million to the Premier League club.
Meanwhile, goals from Seydou Keita and Thierry Henry helped 10-man Barcelona extend their lead at the top of the table last night with a 2-1 victory over Villarreal. Barca were reduced to 10 men when Gerard Pique was sent off for a second yellow card after 73 minutes.
Second-placed Sevilla were held to a 0-0 draw at Mallorca. An early Gonzalo Higuain goal gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Valencia at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP: Gary McAllister was yesterday sacked as coach of Leeds United after their fifth straight defeat, a 3-1 loss at Milton Keynes Dons, and slipping to ninth place.
