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Chelsea not unbeatable, Liverpool manager says

Liverpool has been the only club to rattle Chelsea over the last 18 months.

Its win over the Blues in the Champions League semifinals last season led to an improbable fifth European title. Today, the Reds hope to keep the upper hand when the two English giants meet at Anfield in the Champions League group stage.

"Chelsea are not unbeatable," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said.

"We have beaten them before and we can beat them again. They are a better team than they were last year but we're a better team as well," Benitez said.

Liverpool hasn't kept up with Chelsea on the domestic front -- the Blues won the Premier League for the first time in 50 years last season, 37 points ahead of Liverpool. This season, not much has changed. Chelsea tops the Premier League with seven wins and only one goal conceded. Liverpool is in 13th place, 14 points behind, although it has played two fewer games.

Chelsea travels to Anfield again on Sunday in the Premier League.

"We're ready for Liverpool but they'll be two very tough games, we know that," Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard said.

"Going to Anfield is always difficult and going there twice in a week even more so. We look ready for it and we want to get the right results. It was a deafening noise last season and it'll be the same this week so we'll have to be ready," Lampard said.

Liverpool has only lost once in all matches since winning the Champions League by defeating AC Milan on penalties in Istanbul, Turkey in May.

Liverpool had to get special dispensation from UEFA to defend its title and Benitez's defensive style has worked better in Europe than England.

Both Chelsea and Liverpool won their opening Group G matches two weeks ago. Chelsea edged Anderlecht 1-0 at Stamford Bridge while Liverpool won 2-1 at Real Betis of Spain.

Both clubs should reach the knockout stage. The winners and runners-up of each group advance, with the third place club dropping into the UEFA Cup and the fourth club eliminated.

Chelsea has lost only six of 66 matches under manager Jose Mourinho, but four of them were away games in the Champions League last season.

While it lost the Champions League semifinal at Anfield in August, Chelsea won at Liverpool in the league last January.

"So we know that we can win there, although we also know we can lose there. They are enjoyable matches. These big matches you enjoy more," Mourinho said.

Chelsea has injury worries over Arjen Robben and Asier del Horno.
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