Blues target Leeds revenge

Claudio Ranieri has cranked his men up for a revenge mission against Leeds tonight as the Blues look to cling onto Arsenal’s coat-tails in the race for the title.

Ranieri, fully aware it was Terry Venables’ men who halted the Londoners’ fine autumn run, is out to level the score at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea aim to cut into the Gunners’ 11-point lead over them.

But Ranieri is far from happy about about being forced to play the game just 48 hours after thrashing Shrewsbury 4-0 in the FA Cup on a very heavy Gay Meadow pitch.

“It was Leeds who ended our run earlier in the season,” the Italian said.

“The first half of that match went very, very badly for us. So now we’re looking for sporting revenge.

“Everyone’s unhappy to be playing again after just one day off. It won’t be easy but we’ll be ready.

“We don’t have time to recover but that’s okay. They are the rules and we respect the rules.

“I don’t think any of the injured players will be ready, but everybody else is okay from the Shrewsbury match.”

Full-back Mario Melchiot, who performed for the full 90 minutes against Kevin Ratcliffe’s side, insisted he had no gripes about facing another game tonight.

“I’m not complaining about it,” he told Chelsea TV. “We’re used to playing many games in a short space of time in this country and we just have to get on with it.”

Chelsea will be without Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink against the Dutch striker’s old side.

He is out with an ankle problem, while injuries to Mario Stanic and Enrique de Lucas mean they will also miss the match. Marcel Desailly is available after a one-match ban.

Centre-back John Terry added fuel to Ranieri’s revenge theory, saying: “The manager has said it is a chance for ’sporting revenge’ against Leeds – and it is. We owe them big time.

“We were on a good run when we went to Leeds and it set us back a few weeks.

“There’s always a little bit of spice between both sides so it would be good to beat them.”

Terry brushed aside any moans about playing two games in three days.

He added: “We are all professionals, all athletes and we will be fit enough to go into the game against Leeds, no problem.

“We are a lot more composed as a squad this season, a lot more confident. The team spirit this year has been a lot better, which I think has been a big factor.

“We are a good side and are confident of our abilities – I think most teams now worry more about us than we do them.

“I think we are still in with a chance in the championship race, though of course it means we have to hope Manchester United and Arsenal slip up.

“That’s by no means definite – I watched Manchester United against West Ham on TV and they looked very good indeed.”