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Torres faces old club Liverpool in Chelsea debut
Source: Agencies |
February 3, 2011, Thursday
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FERNANDO Torres gets the chance to break Liverpool fans' hearts twice in a week with the Spain striker poised to make his Chelsea debut against his former club in the Premier League on Sunday.
Torres swapped Merseyside for London in a British record 50 million pounds (US$81.06 million) deal just before the transfer window shut on Monday and will likely have the chance to rub salt in Liverpool's wounds at Stamford Bridge (1600 GMT).
"It is like destiny," Torres said on his new club's website (www.chelseafc.com). "If I have the chance to play I will do my best for Chelsea and hopefully I can score."
For once, the champions will be glad if he does score.
His record of seven goals in eight games against his new club, including both in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Chelsea at Anfield in November, made him a thorn in their side.
"When I played against Chelsea there was always a big motivation because it was a special game, it was always one of the biggest games of the season," said Torres.
"This is one of the reasons why I wanted to join Chelsea because I want to be part of this kind of team... If they (Chelsea fans) are happy as well because I am not going to score any more against them then it is good."
Sitting in fourth place, 10 points behind leaders Manchester United, Chelsea will be keen to show off their new number nine but manager Carlo Ancelotti will have to tinker with his lineup to fit him in.
Nicolas Anelka played well in a deeper role in Tuesday's 4-2 win at Sunderland so Salomon Kalou could make way for Torres to play alongside Didier Drogba in front of Anelka playing at the head of a midfield diamond.
"We have to test him tomorrow and the next day," Ancelotti said of Torres. "If his fitness is not a problem then he will play on Sunday."
The hole left by Torres has already by partially filled by Luis Suarez as the Uruguayan scored on his debut yesterday in Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Stoke City that made it three wins and a draw in the league for new boss Kenny Daglish since he replaced Roy Hodgson.
United travel to struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday (1730) with striker Wayne Rooney keen to show his two goals against Aston Villa in midweek were the start of a turnaround in his season.
If Alex Ferguson's men avoid defeat they will set a club record of 30 league games unbeaten having matched their previous best with Tuesday's 3-1 win over Villa.
"We hope to finish the season unbeaten," winger Nani told MUTV. "But we know it will be very hard."
United needed a last-minute goal by Park Ji-sung, his second of the game, to snatch a 2-1 home win over Wolves in November.
Arsenal, five points behind the leaders in second, will seek to keep the pressure up on Saturday at Newcastle United (1500) with their hosts still smarting from the departure of striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool as a replacement for Torres.
Third-placed Manchester City, who joined Chelsea and Liverpool in splashing the cash in the transfer window by spending about 30 million pounds on striker Edin Dzeko from Vfl Wolfsburg, host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (1500) having lost ground with a 2-2 draw at Birmingham City yesterday.
Torres swapped Merseyside for London in a British record 50 million pounds (US$81.06 million) deal just before the transfer window shut on Monday and will likely have the chance to rub salt in Liverpool's wounds at Stamford Bridge (1600 GMT).
"It is like destiny," Torres said on his new club's website (www.chelseafc.com). "If I have the chance to play I will do my best for Chelsea and hopefully I can score."
For once, the champions will be glad if he does score.
His record of seven goals in eight games against his new club, including both in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Chelsea at Anfield in November, made him a thorn in their side.
"When I played against Chelsea there was always a big motivation because it was a special game, it was always one of the biggest games of the season," said Torres.
"This is one of the reasons why I wanted to join Chelsea because I want to be part of this kind of team... If they (Chelsea fans) are happy as well because I am not going to score any more against them then it is good."
Sitting in fourth place, 10 points behind leaders Manchester United, Chelsea will be keen to show off their new number nine but manager Carlo Ancelotti will have to tinker with his lineup to fit him in.
Nicolas Anelka played well in a deeper role in Tuesday's 4-2 win at Sunderland so Salomon Kalou could make way for Torres to play alongside Didier Drogba in front of Anelka playing at the head of a midfield diamond.
"We have to test him tomorrow and the next day," Ancelotti said of Torres. "If his fitness is not a problem then he will play on Sunday."
The hole left by Torres has already by partially filled by Luis Suarez as the Uruguayan scored on his debut yesterday in Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Stoke City that made it three wins and a draw in the league for new boss Kenny Daglish since he replaced Roy Hodgson.
United travel to struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday (1730) with striker Wayne Rooney keen to show his two goals against Aston Villa in midweek were the start of a turnaround in his season.
If Alex Ferguson's men avoid defeat they will set a club record of 30 league games unbeaten having matched their previous best with Tuesday's 3-1 win over Villa.
"We hope to finish the season unbeaten," winger Nani told MUTV. "But we know it will be very hard."
United needed a last-minute goal by Park Ji-sung, his second of the game, to snatch a 2-1 home win over Wolves in November.
Arsenal, five points behind the leaders in second, will seek to keep the pressure up on Saturday at Newcastle United (1500) with their hosts still smarting from the departure of striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool as a replacement for Torres.
Third-placed Manchester City, who joined Chelsea and Liverpool in splashing the cash in the transfer window by spending about 30 million pounds on striker Edin Dzeko from Vfl Wolfsburg, host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (1500) having lost ground with a 2-2 draw at Birmingham City yesterday.
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