AVB - Torres ready

Blues boss happy for striker to lead the line

Fernando Torres: Andre Villas-Boas insists striker is mentally ready

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas insists Fernando Torres is mentally ready to take on Manchester United.

The £50million striker will spearhead the Blues' attack in Sunday's mouth-watering contest against the champions at Stamford Bridge.
Torres has been given an extended run in Villas-Boas' attack with Didier Drogba on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ivory Coast.

The former Liverpool man has not found the back of the net since October, but Chelsea's boss is giving him his backing.

Ready

"Off the field, mentally he is ready, he knows his responsibility, he knows what he has to do," said Villas-Boas.
"On the field and on the training ground, we try and work on his movement. That's the only thing we can do and we have been for quite some time.
"I think eventually we could say that a goal will trigger it all but we have to wait and see because there needs to be continuity after that."

Finish

Chelsea head into Sunday's fixture two points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal and the Portuguese tactician does not believe they will drop anymore places.
"I don't think we'll finish below fourth spot," he continued.
January signing Gary Cahill is in line to make his debut with John Terry ruled out through injury and Villas-Boas is happy throwing him into the fray.
"I think he has been ready from the start, to be fair - he's trained magnificently well," he concluded.