PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V LIVERPOOL

The first cup semi-final of the season awaits the winners of this all-top-flight encounter although Chelsea will need to reverse recent fortunes against the side from Anfield. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton look closely at our last game in November…

TALKING POINTS

The modified Chelsea side selected by Andre Villas-Boas functioned more efficiently against an under-strength Wolves side on Saturday. Welcome and impressive as the 3-0 win was, the weekend visit to Newcastle - one place above in the Barclays Premier League - will provide a better gauge of the rebirth of the Blues.

That is especially so as tonight's game is likely to present much-changed line-ups from both teams. The Blues, as visiting manager Kenny Dalglish has pointed out, have had 24 hours longer to recover and prepare for this match.

Liverpool had a harder-fought tussle against league leaders Manchester City on Sunday afternoon and have suggested they will field a shadow team tonight, despite having no European campaign to concern them. (Chelsea's Champions League commitments have meant playing four games more than the Merseysiders this season.)

Tonight will be the 30th occasion Chelsea and Liverpool have locked horns in the just seven years. The fixture naturally evokes memories of two recent encounters in the same competition (see We Have History tab): four years ago Chelsea won 2-0 at the Bridge, and two years prior to that we met in the final that anointed the Roman Abramovich era with its first silverware.

In earlier rounds Dalglish evidently felt this tournament might perform a similar function for his return to Anfield. The Scotsman selected comparatively strong sides to see off lower league Exeter and Brighton, and the one that beat Stoke City featured just one or two squad players.

In their golden age, Liverpool regularly took the League Cup very seriously. They have won it more times than any other team (seven), followed by Aston Villa with five and Chelsea, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham with four.

Fresher in the memory is the late Glen Johnson strike in the league just 10 days ago that earned the Reds all three points for the second successive season. Whoever plays for the Blues will be as keen to make amends for that damaging reverse as to progress to the semi-finals of the League Cup. It would also mean a first-ever managerial defeat for Kenny Dalglish against the Blues.

One definite absentee is John Terry, who is suspended. JT's goal on Saturday was his fourth in the league the season. He now has as many strikes to his name as the more feted David Silva at City, Gareth Bale of Spurs and Liverpool's Luis Suárez.

During the same match Daniel Sturridge drew level with Frank Lampard on seven as Chelsea's top scorer in all competitions. Studge has netted in three of his last four league matches at the Bridge, including against Liverpool.

If the scores are level after 90 minutes tonight, 30 minutes extra time will be played. Should there still be no winner the tie will be decided by a penalty shootout.

In an earlier round, against neighbours Fulham, Chelsea recorded our first penalty shootout win at home since Blackburn in October 1997.

Like this match, Arsenal v Man City and Man United v Crystal Palace are ties repeated from the 2004/05 Carling Cup competition, eventually won by Chelsea. Back then, Man United won 2-0 and Arsenal 2-1. Man United beat Arsenal in the quarter-finals, and Chelsea prevailed over Ferguson's men in the semi-final. Oddly, Cardiff and Blackburn met in the same season's FA Cup.

Other Carling Cup quarter-finals
Tonight
Arsenal v Man City 8pm - Sky Sports
Cardiff v Blackburn 7.45pm
Wednesday
Man Utd v Crystal Palace 7.45pm - Sky Sports

The draw for the semi-finals is tomorrow evening (Wednesday) at Old Trafford following Manchester United's quarter-final with Crystal Palace.

Chelsea v Liverpool