Stamford bridge to host a home defeat before November

Remember February 15th 2004? [Actually, it was February 21st. Obviously we don’t remember it too well - Ed.] On that day, Dennis Wise’s Millwall were months away from an FA Cup Final and England had qualified safely for the summer’s European Championship. In the Premiership, Arsenal beat Claudio Ranieri’s Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, and brought themselves a step closer to becoming unbeaten champions. This was Chelsea’s last domestic home loss in 90 minutes.

Months later, Jose Mourinho swept into West London and seduced fans with his irresistible charm and boring football, and in three years his only home losses came to Barcelona in the Champions League and, more embarrassingly, Charlton in a League Cup penalty shootout.

Avram Grant arrived with a lot less gusto last season but even he, considered by most Chelsea fans as a Boris Johnson-esque bumbling clown, kept the unbeaten run alive.

But the amazing run started to become a strain, as highlighted in struggles against Aston Villa and Arsenal, and while it was unthinkable Chelsea would lose a home league game under Mourinho, it became an imminent threat under The Toad.

Considering Chelsea’s first five home opponents next season, Luiz Felipe Scolari will have to perform remarkably well to see Chelsea out of October with the home record intact.

First up is Portsmouth, who will no doubt be buoyed

Reserve striker calling the shots at the Bridge

According to this morning’s Independent, the top brass at Chelsea are showing their football nous by giving peripheral benchwarmer Andriy Shevchenko an important role in selecting the next team manager. The West London club are still keen on hiring Milan’s Carlo Ancelotti (you know, the chap who has turned them down a couple of times already), and the man who couldn’t persuade his way into the first team has been asked to persuade the Italian:

The 31-year-old striker is one of several people Abramovich has consulted over the recruitment of a new coach and is understood to have urged him to carry on with his pursuit of the man he played under at Milan, despite being rebuffed last week.

Originally Abramovich had only intended to speak to Ancelotti to ask him his opinion on who he should appoint but, under the advice of Shevchenko among others, he decided to offer the 48-year-old the post.

In other news, the groundsman who punched Patrice Evra has been asked to lure Samuel Eto’o to the club, while a 17-year-old girl who works at a burger stand in the Shed End will be holding interviews for a new marketing director.

Inter gaffer loses ’special’ tag, but retains arrogance self belief

When Jose Mourinho was escorted away from Stamford Bridge last year, many Chelsea players were distraught. Drogba spent a week burning photographs while eating from a giant tub of Häagen-Dazs, while Princess Frank wept into his pillow while listening to ‘Hey There Delilah’ on repeat (it was their song). Now the Portuguese is back in the game, however, it looks like the band could be reuniting in Italy:

“I think it is normal that almost all of [the Chelsea squad] will want to work with me in the future,” said Mourinho.

But Mourinho said any transfer dealings between the

UCL semi-final second leg, 7.45pm, Sky Sports 2, bet here

I know, I know, suddenly the world of sport and betting seems empty after the tragic events Monday at Discovery Cove, Florida. In case you’ve only just drifted out of a coma and are unaware of the horror, the dolphins Sharky and Tyler were performing the “victory leap” finale of their routine, yet this time they collided head-on in mid-air and Sharky, a 30-year-old bottlenose, didn’t make it, although was said to have been smiling to the end. A glimpse at message boards suggests this is the animal kingdom’s Lady Di moment, and there will doubtless be a minute’s silence at aquariums around the planet.

Still, life goes on, and performing their own head-on mid-air collision tonight are Chelsea and Liverpool. Which will be Sharky and which will be Tyler? And more importantly, human race, when will we stop this cruel practice of pushing innocent men beyond their physical and emotional limits purely for our own entertainment?

The chickendinner Wager reckons Chelsea for the victory leap, Liverpool to breathe their last in the shallow end. Disagree? Then get your money on the reds and let the healing begin.

Thirteen reasons why tonight will be unlucky for Liverpool:

* Rafa Benitez has taken Liverpool to Stamford Bridge eight times, and they have never scored a goal.

* Chelsea have never lost at home to English opposition

The best sports on the telebox

Given Manchester Utd’s recent record, it’s hard to imagine Alex Ferguson savouring the prospect of meeting Chelsea in Moscow. The Red Devils will undoubtedly be praying that Liverpool can score a goal at Stamford Bridge tonight, but this is something they haven’t managed since January 2004. The bookies are offering odds of 1/2 for Liverpool getting on the score sheet, and 17/10 to make the final. Chelsea are obvious favourites, but it’s never wise to bet against Rafa and co in Europe. Check out the best punts available tonight right here on the oddschicken.

Champions League semi-final second leg
Chelsea/ Liverpool (Sky Sports 2, 7.45pm)

Snooker
World Championship quarter-finals (BBC2, 7pm)

Copa Libertadores
San Lorenzo/ River Plate (Setanta Sports 2, 11.45pm)

Champions League semi comes down to bad fortune and a worse haircut