Well-drilled defences may dominate Wembley

TWO familiar faces go head-to-head in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday with bookmakers rating Chelsea odds-on favourites to lift the trophy against Liverpool.

There's certainly no love lost between the two double-chasing sides, who are meeting for the 31st time since the start of the 2004-05 season and have contested Champions League semi-finals, FA Cup semi-finals and a Carling Cup final too.

Now it's the battle to land the world's oldest knockout competition and it has all the makings of being a titanic struggle between two old warriors with well-drilled defences. 

Only the Manchester clubs have conceded fewer Premier League goals than Carling Cup winners Liverpool this season and Champions League finalists Chelsea have become a unified outfit under interim manager Roberto Di Matteo.  

Centre-backs Gary Cahill and David Luiz are sidelined for Chelsea, while boss Roberto Di Matteo must decide between Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres for the central striker role.

Charlie Adam and Lucas remain long-term absentees for Liverpool, who are set to recall a host of rested players for the final. Kenny Dalglish has a number of tactical decisions to ponder, including whether Andy Carroll starts and the possibility of a 3-5-2 shape.