Carragher expects white-hot Anfield
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is expecting Anfield to be a “cauldron of an atmosphere” tomorrow when Chelsea arrive for their Champions League group G clash.
Carragher, 27, inspired his side to victory in the semi-final last season against Jose Mourinho’s side, with a controversial goal from Luis Garcia adding to the tense relationship between the two clubs.
Reds fans were furious when Chelsea boss Mourinho made his infamous “ssh” gesture during the Carling Cup final, while Blues fans expected Steven Gerrard to arrive at Stamford Bridge only for the midfielder to stay at Anfield.
Carragher said of last season’s semi-final: “I knew before the game it was going to be special.
“We had the thing with Mourinho in the Carling Cup final and the gesture he made to our fans and the Stevie Gerrard stuff.
“That all boiled up to wind our fans up and that helped to create a tremendous atmosphere. I think it will be difficult to surpass that feeling and the atmosphere of a semi-final in a group game.
“But there’s no love lost between our fans and the Chelsea fans and their club, particularly after what happened with Stevie again in the summer. I’m sure it will be another cauldron of an atmosphere.”
Chelsea have a better record over Liverpool while Mourinho has been manager, but Carragher believes his side have not been convincingly beaten.
“They might have won the first three games against us last season but we always have very tight matches against them,” he added.
“Nobody has ever run away with the game. Last year we lost to a set-piece at Stamford Bridge and then in the home game we deserved to be in front and should have had a penalty before we lost to a deflection.
“In the away semi-final leg they only had one chance, which fell to Frank Lampard, but it was a tight game and a draw was a fair result and then we beat them at home.
“We’re a club built on nights like that so I wasn’t surprised by it.”
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