Tempers rising
After League Cup triumph, Vialli's Chelsea meets Villa again
Posted: Thursday October 29, 1998 01:40 PM
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Wise (center) was sent off for a two-footed tackle on Villa's Darren Byfield and then received a yellow card himself for arguing with the referee Shaun Botterill/Allsport |
LONDON (AP) -- Three days after his three goals knocked Aston Villa out of the League Cup, Chelsea player-manager Gianluca Vialli sends his team out against the same opponent in the Premier League Saturday, with Villa top of the standings and four points clear.
With Chelsea also the defending Cup Winners Cup titlist and well placed in the league, Vialli should be a happy man.
But the smiles turned to frowns even at the end of Wednesday's 4-1 crushing of Villa. The Chelsea manager saw his team captain, Dennis Wise, sent off for a needless, two-footed tackle on Villa's Darren Byfield and then received a yellow card himself for arguing with the referee.
On top of that, Vialli has to deal with reports that Danish striker Brian Laudrup could be leaving the club after only three months. The Dane is apparently unhappy with the manager's system of leaving players out even if they're playing well.
Clearly angry at the expulsion of Wise and his own yellow card, Vialli declined to talk after Wednesday's League Cup game. But coach Graham Rix explained Vialli's state of mind.
"Luca thought straight away that Dennis would miss [four] key games," Rix said "He's an emotional man, Luca. Always on the edge.
"People get a little emotional, tempers were rising but it was a little bit silly on our part when we were leading 4-1 with five minutes to go."
Vialli and Rix have to decide whether Wise, who has just returned from a three-game ban, will face Villa again on Saturday before he starts another four-match suspension for the expulsion.
Saturday's lineups likely will be far different from Wednesday's. Chelsea rested eight first team regulars and Villa left out Gareth Southgate, Stan Collymore, Paul Merson, Gareth Barry and Lee Hendrie, who are all expected to play at Stamford Bridge.
They are expected to face Marcel Desailly, Frank Leboeuf, goalkeeper Ed de Goey, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranco Zola, Pierluigi Casiraghi and Albert Ferrer, who are all in line for a return after missing Wednesday's game. But Graeme Le Saux is still suspended and there are doubts about Laudrup.
Another Chelsea victory Saturday and Villa's lead could be cut to one point as the leading contenders apply the pressure.
Second place Manchester United goes to Everton while defending titlist Arsenal, one point further behind in third place, visits second from last Coventry.
Last weekend, Alex Ferguson's United was held to a 1-1 tie at Derby while Arsene Wenger's Arsenal scored a 2-1 win at struggling Blackburn.
Fourth-place Liverpool, which crushed Nottingham Forest 5-1 last week with Michael Owen scoring four times, goes to Leicester, which came away from Villa with a 1-1 tie.
Middlesbrough, holding steady at fifth after promotion, doesn't play until Sunday but will expect three points from a home game against next to last Forest, which may recall Dutch striker Pierre van Hooydonk, who returned to the club this week after a three-month, self-imposed absence.
Van Hooydonk returned to the Netherlands before the start of the season saying he was angry that Forest had not strengthened the playing squad with new signings. With Forest in the relegation zone, the team needs his strike power and manager Dave Bassett may include him on the lineup at the Riverside stadium.
Last place Southampton, three points adrift of the rest, gained its first win of the season by beating another struggler, Coventry.
On Saturday, Dave Jones' team goes to another sliding club, Sheffield Wednesday, hoping for three more points although, with 23 goals conceded and only six scored, it is still almost certain to stay last.
Saturday's other games are Derby vs. Leeds, Newcastle vs. West Ham and Wimbledon vs. Blackburn while Tottenham, improving under new manager George Graham, hosts Charlton on Monday.
Division one leader Sunderland has a tough visit to Bolton on Sunday so that either second place Birmingham, or Huddersfield, which is third, can overtake on Saturday whichever team wins its confrontation at St. Andrews.
Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers, surprisingly beaten by last place Motherwell on Wednesday, should stay top by beating Dundee United at home.
Second place Kilmarnock, one point behind, hosts third place Celtic, which has three points to make up on its big Glasgow neighbor.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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