First goal excites Etuhu

Nigerian player, Dickson Etuhu, says he is happy to score his first of the season for Fulham .

The Super Eagles midfielder scored a goal in Fulham’s 3 - 1 defeat of his former club, Manchester City, in their Premier League game on Sunday.

The result helped the Cottagers climb to the eighth place in the table with 43 points from 32 matches.

Etuhu, who was ignored by Eagles coach Shaibu Amodu for the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Mozambique last month, told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that he was happy to score at the City of Manchester Stadium.

“It was great to score such a wonderful goal in front of the fans at the Eastlands. I actually started my career there; the fans know me and my younger brother, Kevin, plays for them. So it was fine to help Fulham record such an astounding result away from home,” Etuhu, who made a £1.5m switch from Sunderland in August, said.

He said he did not see the encounter as the battle of the Etuhu brothers but was rather contended with helping Fulham fight for a UEFA Cup place.

If the Cottagers can clinch seventh spot- they are a point adrift West Ham- then they are sure of a place in Europe next season.

Go, finish off Liverpool

Guus Hiddink believes Chelsea‘s unbreakable team spirit will stop Liverpool staging a famous revival in Tuesday‘s Champions League quarterfinal second leg.

Although Hiddink‘s side has one foot in the semifinals after last week‘s stunning 3-1 victory at Anfield, Liverpool has developed a habit of upsetting the form book in Europe under Rafael Benitez.

Liverpool‘s fightback from 3-0 down to win the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan proved how dangerous they can be, but it would take a spectacular meltdown to deny Chelsea a probable last four showdown against Barcelona, 4-0 winners over Bayern Munich in their first leg.

While a less resolute team could crack under the pressure of an early Liverpool goal on Tuesday, Blues boss Hiddink is convinced the squad‘s togetherness will play a key role in finishing the job at Stamford Bridge.

“There is a fantastic spirit around this club, everyone believes in what we can achieve this season and it is exciting to be a part of that,” he said.

“But we must not lose our focus for one game or one minute and that means each game is as important as the next one. We have the same aim, which is to try and win all of them.

“It is important that we take the momentum gained from winning at Anfield into this game and keep our level of performance up.”

When Hiddink arrived at Chelsea in February the club‘s season was in danger of fizzling out, but he quickly won the respect of players who were unconvinced by Scolari‘s laidback regime.

Now Chelsea look back to their intimidating best and they could still finish the season with a treble. Saturday‘s 4-3 win over Bolton kept them within four points of Manchester United in the Premier League, while Tuesday’s Liverpool showdown is followed by an FA Cup semifinal against Arsenal at Wembley.

Ashley Cole, Chelsea’s England left-back, admits the rejuvenating effect provided by Hiddink’s no-nonsense style has come at the perfect time.

“It is always nice to go to Anfield and get a good result and it is going to be tough for them to come to the Bridge and score three goals,” Cole said.

“Of course it could happen but we have got the players in our team to score goals. We have scored in every game apart from one since the new manager came in so we are very confident we can push on now and go through.”

Hiddink‘s only concern going into Tuesday‘s tie is the careless way his side allowed Bolton to come back from 4-0 down to set up a tense finale, with Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech looking especially vulnerable.

Torres eyes Chelsea win as tribute to Hillsborough

LIVERPOOL (AFP) – Fernando Torres wants Liverpool to produce a Champions League miracle against Chelsea on Tuesday in memory of the 96 Reds fans who died at Hillsborough 20 years ago.

Wednesday marks the anniversary of the tragedy which occurred during Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest in 1989. The Liverpool supporters were crushed to death because of overcrowding on the terracing at the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium.

Liverpool will hold a memorial for the victims at Anfield on Wednesday and Torres believes Rafa Benitez's side can pay their respects by overturning a 3-1 deficit against Chelsea in Tuesday's quarter-final second leg.

"My goals against Blackburn on Saturday were for the 96 and their families because I know that it was a special day for them with it being the home game closest to the anniversary," Torres said.

"The goals were more special because of the service on Wednesday, when we will see the families on an important day for them and for all Liverpool supporters.

"It makes Tuesday's game all the more important. We have to try to do it for the families and the 96 who died."

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, a boyhood Everton fan, had been at the other FA Cup semi-final that day watching the Toffees beat Norwich 1-0 at Villa Park. But elation soon turned to worry and fear for the then 11-year-old.

"I was just 11, quite young but old enough to understand what was happening," Carragher told Liverpool's website.

"In those days the semi-finals were played on the same day and at the same time, me being an Everton fan I was at Villa Park watching Everton play Norwich.

"I just remember an announcement at half-time that the Liverpool game had been abandoned. It was before mobile phones so no-one really understood what was going on. But obviously we knew there was a problem.

"It wasn't until we heard on the radio in the car on the way back to Liverpool what had really happened. It's amazing how it's 20 years ago and that it took people so long to find out. It just goes to show the difference between today and then."

Kop boss Rafa Benitez was coaching Real Madrid's youth teams in Spain when the tragedy happened, but he has learned enough since arriving at Liverpool in 2004 to know how deeply it affected the city.

"In Spain we didn't really realise the real problem initially, but after hearing the stories on the news we then realised the full extent," Benitez said.

"It was a tragedy that was so important, it is vital it is remembered.

"You look at your own daughters and imagine what it would be like for yourself, it is then you realise what a disaster it would be to be involved in something like that.

"You think about this when you are reading the names (of the 96 who died), you see the families and you can see what it means for everyone.

"I have been really impressed with the families and the effort they are putting in to retain good memories of the victims of Hillsborough.

"The families are doing really well trying to keep the good memories of the people, and you can see the staff here have always been there for them, and will always be there trying to support the families, the club will always be behind them.

"The first time I attended the memorial service I was amazed to see the people and the respect they showed. Every year when we go it is similar because you can feel what the families are feeling."

Barcelona warned to be on guard in Munich

MADRID (AFP) – Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola warned his side not to think they were already in the Champions League semi-finals, calling for a professional performance in Tuesday's quarter-final match against Bayern Munich.

Barca lead 4-0 after a whirlwind first leg display at Camp Nou and Bayern are going to have to pull something special out of the hat to overturn that deficit in Munich.

"Bayern are capable of scoring four goals," said Guardiola. "(Franck) Ribery, (Luca) Toni, (Bastian) Schweinsteiger and company are dangerous players.

"I didn't have to see them score four goals (Bayern beat Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 on Saturday) to know that."

Guardiola rested Samuel Eto'o, Carles Puyol, Xavi and Yaya Toure for Saturday's 2-0 win over Recreativo Huelva and all are expected to return against Bayern despite the first leg cushion.

"The tie isn't over yet and the return leg won't be easy," said midfielder Toure. "We have to play with caution because Bayern is a big club. We have to win and score two or three goals.

Lionel Messi, Eto'o and Thierry Henry scored all the goals against Bayern and Toure believes the trio are the best on the planet.

"We have players of great quality such as Messi, Eto'o and Henry, in my opinion the best forwards (in the world)," he added.

Spanish international Xavi echoed his words and said Barca would go for another win in Munich.

"We have players up front that can make the difference," said Xavi. "Normally teams have one or two players but we have three that can change the game and that is fantastic for the team. We will go for the win in Munich.

Even without several first teamers Barca maintained their six-point lead over Real Madrid at the summit with a 2-0 win over Recre.

Andres Iniesta scored the first and made the second to earn praise from the coach.

"I?m pleased for Iniesta," said Guardiola. "Sometimes he?s a bit down because he wants to score more goals than he does, but as long as he keeps doing what he does we?re more than happy. He?s special in so many ways."

"It was hard for us against Recre but things are not always easy in football. There are eight games left and we are closer (to the title)."

Real beat Valladolid 2-0 to stay in touch with Barca and Guardiola admits the form of the double champions is keeping his side on their toes.

"There have been teams in the past that have won the title with 70 points but we have some way to go yet and we need 80 plus points to become champions," said the Barca coach.

"Real Madrid won't slip up much with one game a week. They are helping us to stay on our toes and not drop the pace. The challenge is to keep our shape. Teams can beat us we are not unstoppable."

Barca are going for an historic treble - no Spanish team has ever managed to win the league, Kings Cup and Champions League - and Guardiola says their football merits a trophy.

"We have to win something this season otherwise it just wouldn't make sense," said the 1992 European Cup winner.

Barca have failed to win anything for the past two seasons with their last success back in 2006 when they won a league and Champions League double.

Chelsea will stop Liverpool: Hiddink

LONDON (AFP) – Guus Hiddink believes Chelsea's unbreakable team spirit will stop Liverpool staging a famous revival in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Although Hiddink's side have one foot in the semi-finals after last week's stunning 3-1 victory at Anfield, Liverpool have developed a habit of upsetting the form book in Europe under Rafael Benitez.

Liverpool's fightback from 3-0 down to win the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan proved how dangerous they can be, but it would take a spectacular meltdown to deny Chelsea a probable last four showdown against Barcelona, 4-0 winners over Bayern Munich in their first leg.

While a less resolute team could crack under the pressure of an early Liverpool goal on Tuesday, Blues boss Hiddink is convinced the squad's togetherness will play a key role in finishing the job at Stamford Bridge.

"There is a fantastic spirit around this club, everyone believes in what we can achieve this season and it is exciting to be a part of that," he said.

"But we must not lose our focus for one game or one minute and that means each game is as important as the next one. We have the same aim, which is to try and win all of them.

"It is important that we take the momentum gained from winning at Anfield into this game and keep our level of performance up."

When Hiddink arrived at Chelsea in February the club's season was in danger of fizzling out, but he quickly won the respect of players who were unconvinced by Scolari's laidback regime.

Now Chelsea look back to their intimidating best and they could still finish the season with a treble. Saturday's 4-3 win over Bolton kept them within four points of Manchester United in the Premier League, while Tuesday's Liverpool showdown is followed by an FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal at Wembley.

Ashley Cole, Chelsea's England left-back, admits the rejuvenating effect provided by Hiddink's no-nonsense style has come at the perfect time.

"It is always nice to go to Anfield and get a good result and it is going to be tough for them to come to the Bridge and score three goals," Cole said.

"Of course it could happen but we have got the players in our team to score goals. We have scored in every game apart from one since the new manager came in so we are very confident we can push on now and go through."

Hiddink's only concern going into Tuesday's tie is the careless way his side allowed Bolton to come back from 4-0 down to set up a tense finale, with Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech looking especially vulnerable.

After the ruthless way Hiddink targeted and exploited Liverpool's zonal marking system in the first leg, Benitez will be desperate to find a tactical retort. He could do worse than tell his players to test Cech early on.

If Liverpool do claim a famous victory, it is safe to say Fernando Torres will have played a key role.

Torres scored a stunning half-volley as he took his tally for the season to 14 with two goals in Saturday's 4-0 rout of Blackburn and the Spain striker believes the result proved Liverpool have the goal-power to mount a remarkable fightback.

"The way we played is good for our build-up and preparation for Tuesday," Torres said.

"This win gives us confidence after the 3-1 defeat. But I believe the team can score three goals at Stamford Bridge. We won away to Manchester United, they scored but we still won 4-1.

"Chelsea could just defend, but I doubt that. They will want to score themselves and that will give us a chance ourselves."

Benitez was able to leave captain Steven Gerrard on the bench against Blackburn as he struggles with a groin injury, but the England midfielder will surely be risked on Tuesday.

Chelsea will have to do without their skipper as John Terry serves a one-match ban after his booking for a foul on Liverpool keeper Jose Reina in the first leg.