SOCCER/Liverpool v Chelsea:THEY'VE STAGED their share of duds since taking over as European Capital of Culture, not least the concert to launch the whole shebang back in January, but not even the locals are claiming that tonight's Champions League encounter at Anfield will be particularly easy on the eye.

Asked for his impressions on how the game might go, Rafael Benitez predicted it will be "tough and tight", and despite claims by all parties that they will do their best to provide entertainment, it would seem prudent to bet on the Spaniard being right if only you can find a bookmaker foolish enough to take your money.

Nobody expects a repeat of the enthralling contest between his side and Arsenal here a couple of weeks back, that's for sure. Chelsea neither attack good sides with the elan of their neighbours from north London nor concede quite so freely and it just might be that the two are not entirely unconnected.

Nevertheless, John Terry steadfastly maintained prior to training yesterday that the visitors have come to score goals rather than simply sit tight this time around. It would be nice to think that there really will be a change of thinking but when his manager was asked about the possibility of his side playing with more style he as good as conceded that while beauty is a long objective, not getting beaten will be tonight's top priority.

Grant should have virtually a full squad to choose from ahead of the game. Michael Essien is suspended with the result that Paolo Ferreira is in line to feature in his 50th European game. Frank Lampard trained with the squad last night despite being told he could have stayed at the bedside of his seriously ill mother, while Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack is expected to be fit enough to start.

Drogba's contribution will be critical to Chelsea's chances of taking something from the game as will the ability of the team's midfield to impose itself and the capacity of Terry and Ricardo Carvalho to contain Fernando Torres.

As usual, the pre-match press conferences allowed the foreign media to fish for flattering assessments of their own and a Spanish reporter had little difficulty prompting either the Chelsea captain or his manager to express their admiration. "We don't need to have any special videos of him," observed Grant with a smile when asked if he would show one to his players. "We see him score almost every Saturday."

Inevitably, Grant, who was dismissed from the post of Israeli national coach after his side emerged unbeaten from a World Cup qualifying group which included France, Switzerland and the Republic of Ireland, was asked about his future and he handled the question with considerable dignity, politely pointing out that his side are not only within reach of their first Champions League final but they are also the only thing standing between Manchester United and another Premier league title. "If others wish to ignore the facts then that is their business," he said.

Should Chelsea succeed in either competition, particularly this one, then he would certainly deserve to be still be in charge after the summer although as he will know from his international experience, very little can actually be counted on in his line of work.

If Benitez can guide his men to yet another Champions League final, meanwhile, it will represent a quite remarkable achievement for a man who also endured his share of criticism after arriving on Merseyside from Spain.

This is comfortably the best Liverpool side to face Chelsea at this stage of the competition with Martin Skrtel having bolstered the defence and Torres adding impetus to the attack. In between the pair, Steven Gerard's influence will be as important as ever after the manager confirmed that the 28-year-old has recovered sufficiently from a neck injury to play.

On balance, there seems little reason to believe Chelsea can take a potentially decisive advantage from tonight's game. Both teams come into the game with good recent form but Liverpool have been playing the better, more confident football and there is the unmistakable sense that they believe they can make it to their third final in four years.

For his part, Terry, perhaps predictably, insists that Chelsea have, "the players, the strength and the character to win this game". Perhaps he and his team-mates would have been better off had the title race been ended last week.

The fact that they have rescued themselves from some unpromising situations in the competition already this season is a clearer indication than all yesterday's talk of making history, but the question of whether they can lay the groundwork for qualification next Wednesday still has to be answered. It may not be beautiful but just try looking the other way.

Liverpool (probable): Reina; Carragher, Hyppia, Skrtel, Aurelio; Alonso, Gerrard, Mascherano; Kuyt, Torres, Babel.

Chelsea (probable): Cech; Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, A Cole; Lampard, Makelele, Ballack; J Cole, Drogba, Kalou.