BBC Radio 5 live Danny Mills at Stamford Bridge

"This is what we love about evening games. The floodlights make it a theatre. That green pitch becomes a stage. You can tell that Chelsea are trying to ramp up the atmosphere."

Image source, Reuters

Handshakes done. High fives between team-mates ticked off. A few cuddles and we're ready to go into battle.

BBC Radio 5 live Danny Mills at Stamford Bridge

On how Jose Mourinho would have dealt with defeat by Bradford City...

"A manager with aura of Mourinho walks into a dressing room, shakes his head and walks out - that can have a much bigger impact than screaming and shouting. A lot of players in there would have felt ashamed of themselves."

Blur's Parklife is belted out over the Stamford Bridge PA system as the stadium is plunged into an atmospheric darkness. John Terry and Steven Gerrard line up side by side in the tunnel. Both men inhale sharply and stare intently into the distance. Two ageing warriors, ready to do battle once again.

Noel Fitzpatrick:, external What odds Chelsea to lose 3 times at home in the one week?

Kiriama16:, external Who else thinks Balotelli will send Chelsea parking tonight?

Twiddling your thumbs until kick-off? Check out this five-second goal scored in Germany.

We're almost set now. The floodlights are shining brightly, the flags are waving and the players are beginning to assemble in the tunnel. We'll be ready to kick off sooner than you can say Jan Venegoor of Hesselink.

He might have dished out a few compliments to the Liverpool supporters, but Jose Mourinho may have been a little disparaging about the Reds' team and Raheem Sterling in the build-up...

Referring to the first leg at Anfield, the Portuguese said:, external "Liverpool gave a lot of space. They play with three defender­s. The full-backs are wide. We could hurt them much more than we did there.

"I was frustrated because normally our midfield is full of quality after losing the ball. We recovered the ball, lost the ball, recovered the ball, lost the ball - when I saw enough space to score more goals."

On Sterling? "He scored a fantastic goal but I didn't see too much more than that. I think Chelsea played very well defensively. In that action (of scoring) he was fantastic and we made a couple of mistakes the way we approached that situation."

We've been asking you what you'd get Brendan Rodgers and Jose Mourinho as a birthday present...

TJ: If someone got Brendan a Balotelli as an early birthday present, I really hope they included a receipt. He needs to be returned to the shop sharpish.

HB: I'd buy Brendan a thesaurus - run out of ways to praise the team for having 'character' and 'technicians'.

Thrilling stuff in the Africa Nations Cup with just 15 minutes left in the final games in Group C.

As it stands, Ghana are heading out as they are drawing with South Africa 1-1. Algeria are leading Senegal 1-0 in the other match but both those teams will go through, with Ghana missing out on their head to head record with Senegal. A goal changes everything though.

Follow the action here.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, speaking to Sky Sports: "The players are different (from the weekend), the mentality is different. To play against a top team brings natural concentration. Tonight is different. It's a big game against a big team. Obviously we're not expecting an easy match because the game at Anfield has left everything open. We are going to try and win the match and reach the final."

Which words would you need if you created a Brendan Rodgers bingo game? 'Retention'? 'Speed'?

Here he is talking about the first leg to the Liverpool Echo:, external "The only thing we missed was that finishing touch in the box. Anyone who saw the game will think it should have been one that we won 3-1 or 4-1. But we didn't and it's now up to one game.

"We're playing with confidence and we know our retention and speed in the game can hurt any opponent.

"Winning at Stamford Bridge would be important because it would be the final step towards getting to Wembley. The message to the players will be to go out and have no fear. We respect the opponent of course because they're a very good team but we've got nothing to fear in the game."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers speaking to Sky Sports: "We are strong going forward but we've shown how resolute we are defensively over the last few weeks. We like to dominate and create chances, and hopefully we can do that this evening. All credit to Bradford, it was an excellent result for them. With such a quick turnaround, I'm sure there is a wee bit of trepidation going into the game even though Chelsea have changed their team."

BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty at Stamford Bridge

"Plenty of debate here around Chelsea's team selection - and what appears to be manager Jose Mourinho's decision to make Gary Cahill pay the price for the FA Cup defeat to Bradford City.

"Kurt Zouma gets another chance alongside John Terry and perhaps Mourinho also noted how the pace of Liverpool's Raheem Sterling troubled Cahill at Anfield last week, especially when he was powerless as he ran at him before scoring a brilliant equaliser."

Former England defender Danny Mills at Stamford Bridge
BBC Radio 5 live

"I certainly don't see this game being 0-0. Chelsea will have to come out and attack a bit, and Liverpool defensively do have issues. I think the Bradford result ramps up the pressure on the Chelsea players - they have to come out and play tonight."

The League Cup might not be at the top of everyone's wish-list, but for Didier Drogba and his mates it has a special place in the heart.

"The League Cup looks like a small trophy but it has big meaning," reveals Drogba., external "It's the first trophy we won altogether. I'm talking about John Terry, Frank Lampard and all the boys.

"This final helped us to be a bit more confident playing against Liverpool. I think it was the beginning of the big battles against them."

Former England defender Danny Mills at Stamford Bridge
BBC Radio 5 live

"Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be telling his players 'you are my untouchables, you are my team, now go out and prove it'. No one expected what happened to Chelsea against Bradford in a million years. Tonight is a tough ask for Liverpool. I expect Chelsea to be strong, powerful and on the front foot. There are very few weaknesses in tonight's Chelsea team."

We've been asking you what you'd buy Jose Mourinho and Brendan Rodgers for their birthdays...

Mark McDonald:, external I'd buy Jose a tracking device to find Costa when he gets lost in Skrtel's back pocket again!

Craig Barlow:, external I would buy Jose a new perambulator to throw his toys out of.

He would probably never admit it in public, but Jose Mourinho clearly respects Liverpool fans and the atmosphere they are capable of generating at Anfield based on his quotes before the game.

The Portuguese said: "If Stamford Bridge can give us 25% of the emotion Anfield gives Liverpool we can do it.

"Chelsea, instead of 1,000, will have 40,000. I hope that can make a difference in the atmosphere."

Interesting stuff. I always thought Jose was more ruthless, the type to take emotion out of the equation in his quest for glory?