EPL:Chelsea will escape action if Jose Mourinho plays weakened side at Anfield

Liverpool v Chelsea:
The Blues manager has hinted he
will field a weakened side to face
Premier League leaders Liverpool on
Sunday with the Champions League semi-
final second leg against Atletico on the
horizon
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho during
the Premier League match played
between Swansea City AFC and Chelsea
FC in Swansea (EPA)
By MATT MCGEEHAN
Thursday 24 April 2014
Chelsea are unlikely to be punished by
the Premier League if Jose Mourinho
carries out his proposal to field an
alternate side at Liverpool on Sunday to
safeguard Champions League hopes.
With the Blues five points adrift of
Premier League leaders Liverpool with
three games to play, Mourinho - subject to
Football Association disciplinary action
along with assistant Rui Faria and
midfielder Ramires following last
weekend's controversial home loss to
Sunderland - wishes to prioritise next
Wednesday's semi-final second leg with
Atletico Madrid after drawing the first in
Spain 0-0 on Tuesday night.
Third-placed Manchester City, who could
overhaul Liverpool if Chelsea win and
they win their game in-hand, could be
angered if Mourinho opts not to utilise
his frontline players at Anfield.
But the Blues, who insist they have
quality throughout the squad, are not
expected to infringe regulations that were
relaxed after Blackpool were punished in
2011.
Clubs can select any player in their 25-
man squad list without fear of sanction;
action would likely only be taken if a
number of younger players from outside
the list are selected.
Mourinho, who plans to discuss his
selection options with the Chelsea
hierarchy, is without goalkeeper Petr
Cech (dislocated shoulder) for the
remainder of the season and captain John
Terry (ankle) for at least a week.
But Frank Lampard, John Obi Mikel,
Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah are
among those who are likely to feature at
Anfield.
Lampard and Mikel are both suspended
for the Atletico clash after picking up
first-leg bookings, while January signings
Matic and Salah are ineligible in Europe.
The Champions League, and reaching the
May 24 final in Lisbon against Real
Madrid or Bayern Munich, is now
Mourinho's priority and defender Gary
Cahill believes Chelsea can take comfort
from responding to adversity in their
2012 European Cup-winning campaign.
"It's never ideal to lose players but we
have the squad to cope with it," Cahill
said.
"We look back at how we coped with a
similar situation on the way to winning it
in 2012 and it gives us confidence.
"We seem to be able to grind out results
when we need to in this competition.
"We're really, really close to the final
now, we have one more game at home
and have to give it every single thing
we've got."
Two years ago the Blues were out of
domestic contention - they finished sixth -
but now they are in the title hunt, albeit
with a slim chance of the trophy after
last Saturday's loss to Sunderland.
The Portuguese's happy demeanour has
soured in recent weeks and his selection
suggestion could be, in part, due to the
refusal of the football authorities to move
the Premier League contest forward to
allow his side more time to prepare for
the Atletico clash.
Mourinho was given further reason to be
unhappy as he faces disciplinary
proceedings following his sarcastic
appraisal of the officials after the
Sunderland defeat.
Mourinho and Faria, who faces two
counts of misconduct, have until next
Monday at 6pm to respond, while
Ramires has until Thursday evening at
6pm to decide how to respond to his
violent conduct charge for striking
Sebastian Larsson.
The Brazil midfielder, who has been sent
off twice already this term, faces a
premature end to his domestic season.
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