Until a couple of weeks ago I wouldn’t have given Liverpool more than a one in 10 chance of winning tomorrow’s Carling Cup final – and I said as much in this very column.

But two weeks is a long time in football, a very long time, and the sturdy Chelsea of yesterweek has seemingly been replaced by a new version which is wobbling like a jelly on a motorbike.

This particular slump in form, as much as Mourinho may deny it, would appear to be decisively linked with the loss of Arjen Robben to injury.

Let’s just take a little look at their results since the Dutchman was crocked after scoring the winner in the Blackburn game – draw with Man City, narrow win over 10-man Everton, lost to Newcastle and lost to Barcelona.

Jose may insist that Chelsea are not a one-man team, and with a squad like theirs it’s hard to argue the point, but even he would have to admit they are not firing on quite as many cylinders as they were before Robben’s injury.

And that is why I genuinely believe Liverpool have a decent chance tomorrow, especially after their morale-boosting midweek 3-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

Pound for pound I would say that even without Robben, Chelsea are the better team. But football is all about form and confidence and I think the Anfield lads may just have the edge in that department.

My prediction: Liverpool 2, Chelsea 1.

And we all know how well my predictions have gone in the past.

Roy Carroll

Looks like Sir Alex has taken another one of his magic denial pills.

The Manchester United boss refuses to blame Roy Carroll for his error which cost them a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday night.

“Seedorf should have been closed down,” was the big man’s verdict on the incident, “he should have been forced wide.”

And indeed he should, Sir Alex. But, when he wasn’t closed down and managed to get the shot away doesn’t it then become the job of the goalkeeper to catch said shot?

Whether he likes it or not, the simple truth is that Carroll cost United a draw which would have been a crucial result considering this was the home leg. Now United have to go to the San Siro and come away with a win which is going to be no easy task.

Especially when they are going to have Carroll in goal again...

Wacky referees

It’s back to the wonderful world of wacky referees for our final piece today.

During QPR’s recent home game with Preston the man in the middle took the rather unusual step of ordering the home team’s mascot from the touchline after he apparently kept confusing him for a player.

He was effectively “sent off” by the confused official, the first time in the six years that the QPR mascot has been around that he has not completed a match on the sidelines.

Considering that the mascot wears a replica kit you might tend to see where the referee was coming from. But then again, considering he is a seven foot tall, furry feline with a head the size of a weather balloon, it soon becomes obvious that Jude the Cat’s dismissal was a little harsh.

“I’m a little upset. Nothing like this has ever happened before,” a heart broken Jude told reporters. “How can I be mistaken for a player? I’m a seven foot black cat!”

But Jude isn’t going to let sleeping dogs lie on this one. He intends to enlist the help of mascots all over the country to clear his tarnished image. Wolves’ mascot Wolfie already agreed to go on strike if Jude’s ban was enforced for their encounter with QPR and more of the costumed masses have pledged support.

We could quite easily end up with a football-wide mascot strike on our hands. It’s enough to send shivers down the spine.

I just hope the referee realises the chaos his decision may be about to cause. Football is just a whisker away from total mascot anarchy...

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