Match Focus: Managerial Masterminds Mourinho and Rodgers Go Head-to-Head
If Liverpool do indeed win the Premier League title this season, they will certainly have been made to do it the hard way. Yet another six-pointer at the top awaits them this weekend, with Chelsea ready in waiting to visit Anfield on Sunday afternoon. Even a win may not be enough for the Blues, while anything less will as good as rule them out of the title race once and for all. 11 consecutive Liverpool wins has put them atop the table with 3 matches remaining, and if José Mourinho is to be believed - which he arguably isn't - Chelsea will be playing a weakened side that will give Liverpool all the more chance of making it 12 on the trot.
Liverpool's season has come together at just the right time, while the Blues have to think about a Champions League semi-final second leg against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, and the fixture pileup seems to be taking its toll. They followed up a barely conceivable 2-1 reverse at home to bottom club Sunderland with a dour - albeit impressively obtained from a defensive perspective - goalless draw at the Vicente Calderon in which Mourinho again displayed a tactual nous that is often overshadowed by his unrestrained attitude to post-game press conferences.
Another FA charge awaits the Portuguese for his comments regarding Mike Dean's performance in the defeat to Sunderland, a game in which the heroics of opposition goalkeeper Vito Mannone, (some) admittedly questionable refereeing decisions and rash defending on their own part cost the Blues. Mourinho knew, however, how best to respond, and that his best bet was to set his increasingly depleted team up to play for a draw in the Spanish capital this week. If ever there was a manager made for games like Sunday's must-win title battle with an injury- and suspension-ravaged squad, it is Mourinho. That said, the Chelsea boss could be set to meet his match this weekend against the leading candidate for this season's manager of the season award.
Formerly Chelsea's youth team coach under Mourinho's tutelage, Brendan Rodgers is now well on his way to winning the Premier League title with Liverpool. 3 more wins would guarantee them the crown that has evaded captain Steven Gerrard throughout his otherwise successful career. Rodgers' tactics involve a high press that is supposed to unsettle opposing defenders, but there is every chance that Mourinho will set his team out with a deep block, intended to prevent Liverpool's runners finding space in behind, as they did to such devastating effect at home to the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal. Liverpool have played 47 more through balls (176) than any other team in the Premier League this season and Mourinho will be aware of that. Nemanja Matic has made more interceptions per game (2) than any other Chelsea player, so he will be key to breaking up Liverpool's expected domination of possession.
When teams play in that way against Liverpool, Rodgers has started playing Raheem Sterling in behind two strikers. With Daniel Sturridge expected to return this weekend, he could well do so again. Sterling was outstanding at Norwich last week, scoring 2 wonderful goals and adding a beautifully-crafted assist for Luis Suárez to net, as the teenager obtained a career-high rating of 9.9 and a second man of the match award of the season.
As Norwich's defence backed off, hoping to prevent Suarez finding space in behind, Sterling advanced in the space that was left, unleashing an unstoppable 25-yard screamer to open the scoring before slaloming to score his side's third later on. He completed 4 successful dribbles, won 4 free-kicks, scored with both of his shots on target and also made a team-high 3 interceptions. His form has been timed brilliantly with the upcoming World Cup, and as he has been in recent clashes with City and Norwich, Sterling could well be vital once again.
Rodgers versus Mourinho is one of the most intriguing managerial battles the Premier League has seen in recent history, and how the Chelsea boss sets out to stop the Liverpool juggernaut without at least two of his most key defensive players in John Terry and Petr Cech will be very interesting. Individual performances from the Reds' attackers could be the difference.
How do you think Sunday's clash will pan out? Let us know in the comments below
