Barclays Premier League
Venue: Stamford Bridge Date: Sunday, 8 November 2009 Kick-off: 1600 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, live on Sky Sports 1 & highlights on Match of the Day 2
**Boss Carlo Ancelotti wants Chelsea to take a leaf out of Liverpool’s book and smother Manchester United’s midfield in Sunday’s showdown at Stamford Bridge.**United lost 2-0 at Anfield two weeks ago and Ancelotti insists the Blues must match the work ethic shown by Rafael Benitez’s engine room that day.
“Liverpool played a fantastic match and put a lot of pressure on them,” said Ancelotti. "That’s why they won.
“It was a good lesson as United suffer with pressure on their midfielders.”
Ancelotti is eager for his side to extend their two-point lead over United at the top of the Premier League table, but has played down the hype ahead of one of the most eagerly-awaited games of the season.
“Psychologically, it will not mean more,” the Italian insisted.
"We have to play against a strong team. We will play against the second team in the Premier League, but I think that it’s just a game that carries three points like the others.
“But it is important because we play against a fantastic team, we know that it will be a very difficult match but also a very interesting one.”
STEVE WILSON BLOG
“**(BBC - Steve Wilson: Ancelotti ready for Man Utd challenge)*”
The former AC Milan coach also hailed counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign at Old Trafford, adding: "He has done a fantastic job with this team.
"For a coach to stay such a long time with one team is very difficult, not only in England but everywhere.
“In Italy it would be impossible, for sure. He’s a very important man for the history of this club. United have a fantastic history and Ferguson is one of the most important men in this history.”
Meanwhile Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole has revealed winning the Premier League title is his main target this season.
“To go through 38 games in the league, beating these teams - the likes of Arsenal, Man United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Man City - it’s so hard to win it and I would feel more if we could do it,” the England defender said.
“A lot of teams have strengthened their squads so to win it now you have to be a good team.”
Cole also believes United were bound to suffer after losing talismanic winger Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in the summer.
He added: "You always miss a great player like that. What he achieved at United was brilliant but now we face them without him and I have to learn to play against (Antonio) Valencia as they have a different way and style of of playing.
“It will be a big battle, very tense. We don’t want to lose, they don’t want to lose but we’re looking forward to it and we’re confident we can get a result.”
United boss Ferguson, meanwhile, insists he is not surprised by Ancelotti’s impressive start in English football.
“I thought Ancelotti would do well,” said Ferguson.
"He was a great coach at AC Milan. He won the European Cup twice and brought a wealth of experience with him to Chelsea.
"He was also a great player so he has a lot of knowledge. He brought a different system to the ones Chelsea have used in the past.
“It has maybe been easier to adapt tactics because they have very experienced players, who have more tactical knowledge than the younger ones.”
United have not won at Stamford Bridge since 2002 and Ferguson added: "We have to get our act together because our record down there has not been good for the last six years.
"It is a strange situation because we used to have a terrific record down there up until a few years ago. But we have let it slip.
“The players all realise it is going to be a big game and their performance is going to be important.”*