Barclays Premier League
Venue: Stamford Bridge Date: Sunday, 4 May 2014.
Match Links: WIZIWIG MATCH LINKS
Jose Mourinho has attempted to restore a feel-good factor at Chelsea ahead of their clash with Norwich City.
The Portuguese managers charges exited the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, after a 3-1 home loss against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final. It was a blow to a Chelsea side who had received a boost in the Barclays Premier League just three days earlier with a 2-0 away win over leaders Liverpool.
Mourinho is understandably keen to ensure there is no hangover in evidence as the London club bid to keep their domestic title hopes alive. Chelsea are two points behind Liverpool with two matches to play and Mourinho said on Friday that he had tried to lift spirits among his players following their European disappointment.
"It's life," he said. "They come back like they have to be, but with the feeling that they had a good Champions League campaign. They did everything they could.
"Today we tried to build a training session where they could recover some smiles, some happiness, some good feelings."
Chelsea are likely to need a maximum return from their final two fixtures to stand a chance of lifting the title for the first time since 2010. On Sunday they face a Norwich side requiring points after five successive defeats that have dropped them into the bottom three on goal difference.
Neil Adams has overseen Norwich's last three losses after succeeding Chris Hughton and knows his side are in a perilous position, with a home fixture against Arsenal to come on the final day of the season. Norwich's manager can at least call on a positive recent experience at Stamford Bridge.
Although the club's first team have not won there since 1993, Adams was in charge last May when Norwich secured the FA Youth Cup with a 3-2 win at Chelsea that sealed a 4-2 aggregate success.
"I've got very good memories of Stamford Bridge, he said. The last time I was there as a coach, we won the Youth Cup final.
"It's not nice being in the bottom three. Obviously it's going to be tough, you don't want to be there. We have to go to Stamford Bridge and put in a performance that will get us a result. We hope to go there and execute the gameplan that we made."
Adams has confirmed that Joseph Yobo's calf problem will be assessed ahead of the game, while Anthony Pilkington (knock) will miss out. For the hosts, goalkeeper Petr Cech (shoulder) is unlikely to play and Oscar (hip) is a doubt, while midfielder Ramires serves the second of a four-match ban.
Chelsea from: Blackman, Cech, Hilario, Schwarzer, Ake, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Cole, Ivanovic, Kalas, Luiz, Terry, Hazard, Lampard, Matic, Mikel, Oscar, Van Ginkel, Salah, Willian, Ba, Etoo, Schurrle, Torres.
Norwich City from: Bunn, Nash, Ruddy, Bassong, R Bennett, Garrido, Martin, Olsson, Turner, Whittaker, E Bennett, Gutierrez, Hoolahan, Howson, Fer, Fox, Johnson, Redmond, Snodgrass, Tettey, Becchio, Elmander, Hooper, Van Wolfswinkel.
Match Appointments
Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Assistants: S Bennett, A Halliday. Fourth Official: M Oliver.