IT'S JUST short of five years since Chelsea joined European football's top table by beating Liverpool to qualify for the Champions League for the first time. In the seasons since, they have won two Premiership titles to establish themselves as one of England's top sides but the richest prize of all continues to elude them.

Overall, they've had the better of the 20 meetings with the club now managed by Rafa Benitez since that final game of the league in 2003 and even beat them in a League Cup final. But six of the games have been in the Champions League and on the European stage a combination of Liverpool's mental strength along with Anfield's menace has proven too much for them.

"They've won two titles which is why to succeed in Europe now would be massive for them," said Benitez yesterday. "They'll try to be very focused for this game and only then, I think, will they try to focus on the other (against Manchester United)."

Asked about the Anfield atmosphere last night, John Terry admitted that it had been a factor in previous defeats. "I won't lie," said the Chelsea captain, "the Liverpool fans have been very good for their team but those other games are in the past, what we're looking to do is make sure our fans have the chance to make a difference back at the Bridge."

Chelsea, as it happens, have not lost to Liverpool during Avram Grant's rather brief time in charge but then this will be the first time that the Israeli leads the Londoners out at the stadium where his predecessor was twice undone at this stage of the European campaign. Understandably, the 52-year-old shrugs off what happened under Mourinho but it was a little peculiar yesterday that when he was asked about the potential for his side to be intimidated, he cited the recent trip to Fenerbahce, where his side lost.

The home support might find it puzzling too that Benitez, when pressed about what makes the place so special on night's like this, suggested that it might be because there are so many of the club's foreign fans present.

"Maybe it changes a little for these games because there are more people from abroad and they try to enjoy every second," said the Liverpool manager.