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Jose Mourinho is ready to take a gamble on Saturday's crunch title clash with Manchester City by risking his star players in tonight's Capital One Cup semi final with Liverpool.

Manuel Pellegrini's side travel to Stamford Bridge in a game that could prove pivotal in the race to be crowned Premier League champions.

But Mourinho's league leaders must first navigate their semi final second leg with Liverpool, which is finely poised at 1-1.

Chelsea could extend their lead at the top to eight-points with victory over City.

But after Saturday's shock FA Cup defeat to Bradford, Mourinho revealed that Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas will all start tonight.

"It is a semi-final second leg, a knockout game, live or die, against a very good team," he said. "Maybe that pushes us to a good level of concentration and motivation that maybe we couldnt reach against Bradford.

"The fans want to go to Wembley and it is the same with me and the players. After such a disappointment I think everybody wants more now, because the only domestic knockout cup we can win is the Capital One Cup.

"At this moment we have a lot to play for the Liverpool game, the Premier League and the Champions League and we have enough motivation to carry on.

"My team selections always have a relation to performances in training and performance in matches, so I analyse the Bradford game well and see which players deserve more to play, but obviously I rested some with the intention to play against Liverpool.

"It is easy to understand that Matic, Ivanovic, Diego Costa, Fabregas and Hazard, these players are going to play."

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Boost for Pellegrini as Mourinho risks star players ahead of Chelsea's crunch clash with Man City