Injury nightmare as Liverpool and Chelsea progress

Lift off: captain Steven Gerrard jumps for joy after putting Liverpool ahead last night
14 April 2012

Liverpool and Chelsea marched on in the Champions League — but at a cost.

Rafa Benitez's men won Group C as goals by Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch sealed a 2-0 win over PSV Eindhoven at Anfield, with Chelsea joining them in the last 16 despite a 1-0 defeat at Werder Bremen.

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However, Benitez was hit by a triple injury blow as midfielders Xabi Alonso, Mark Gonzalez and Jermaine Pennant were all forced off.

Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack are major doubts for Chelsea's Premiership clash at Manchester United on Sunday after limping out of the 1-0 Champions League defeat at Werder Bremen.

Chelsea secured a place in the knockout stages despite losing in Germany but the immediate concern for manager Jose Mourinho is top scorer Drogba, who has an ankle injury, and Ballack, who is nursing a 10-inch gash on his calf.

Mourinho said: "Ballack's injury is nothing special, but he is in pain after Pierre Wome stood on his muscle. Drogba's injury is his ankle but we hope it is nothing serious."

Chelsea, who lost in Europe for the first time since their defeat at Real Betis last October, will need their influential pair after this disappointing defeat, but Mourinho insists they will bounce back at Old Trafford.

He said: "You're never happy with a defeat but we are in the last 16. We go into the next game safe because we have already qualified.

"I don't believe defeat will have any bearing on the game at United. We have qualified. If we'd lost two or three nil we would have been left needing something.

"Sunday is a different competition. We are looking forward to it. It is a pity that it is not tomorrow because we are ready."

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