Salomon Kalou insists Chelsea pal Didier Drogba is better than Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.

Kalou has admitted Chelsea's Treble hopes rest on Drogba's fitness.

The striker has scored 25 goals in all competitions this season.

And Kalou says his Ivorian team-mate must last the course if he is to beat Wayne Rooney in the race for the Golden Boot and the Prem crown.

Drogba has 19 in the league compared to Rooney's 23 for the Red Devils.

Kalou said: "Didier is the kind of striker who, when he's on form, the whole team plays well and he makes his team-mates play even better.

"Rooney this year is amazing but Didi, for me, is still one of the best strikers in the world."

Stoke City midfielder Salif Diao has told Chelsea star Didier Drogba to carry on diving!

The pair are close friends and face each other in an FA Cup quarter-final - the Potters' first in 38 years - at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Drogba has earned himself a reputation for diving and Diao said although he had spoken to the Ivory Coast international about it, he did not view it as a problem.

"Myself and others tell him to stop diving," he told The Sentinel. "But it's part of the show for him. It is not cheating, but part of the entertainment."

Diao is full of admiration for a player he has known for a decade, having first encountered Drogba when the pair were playing in France.

And although Drogba has returned to top form with 25 goals in the current campaign, after struggling last season under Luis Felipe Scolari, Diao believes he can still get better.

"He has been a good friend for 10 years and as a character I would say we are very similar," said the former Senegal international. "He has a winning mentality and knows what he wants. I think all the big players have that - the wanting to be always the best. We call him 'The Project' because we see him as someone who hasn't finished yet.

"He is not the finished striker yet because he always wants to improve. He's like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. They know they have achieved, but they still work hard every day because they want to get even better.

"Some African players get to a level and stay in their comfort zone, but Didier wants to go further and further. Africa has always had big, strong strikers, players like George Weah.

"But if Didier carries on and 'The Project' goes its full term, then I think he will be the greatest."

Roman Abramovich is the problem at Chelsea.

Since the Russian's corrupt oil money bought the club, Chelsea has been a dominant force in the Premier League, second only to Manchester United.  

Abramovich's message has been clear: Win first, worry about consequences later.  

Abramovich poured millions of his own cash into the club and found immediate success, but he is finding the going a bit tougher recently.

One of the Russian's first moves was to hire Jose Mourinho as manager.  Mourinho is the best manager in the world, and also the most controversial manager in the world.  The "chosen one" developed a pompous cockiness and arrogance that is unmatched among the rest of the world's best managers in the world.  

Mourinho won two league titles and established Chelsea as a dominant force in European football, but he was sacked after much-publicized differences with the owner Abramovich and a home draw against Rosenborg in the Champions League Group stage. Since his departure, however, the Blues have spiraled downward.  

Ancelotti is the fourth manager to take over the club in the past two years.  Avraam Grant was fired after John Terry slipped and missed the Champions League winning penalty in 2008.  Luis Felipe Scolari was hired, and then sacked within six months.  Guus Hiddink took control of the club but then stepped down to coach Russia in the World Cup Qualifiers, which led to the eventual hiring of Ancelotti.

Ancelotti, like most Chelsea managers blessed with the best squad in the world, found immediate success.  The John Terry/Wayne Bridge saga has derailed the league leaders, who arguably have been the most dominant team in the Premier League but now find themselves only a point ahead of Man United and three ahead of Arsenal—a team they have dominated this season both home and away.

But the Terry/Bridge saga is just another brick in Chelsea's unethical wall.

Since Abramovich took over, he has transformed Chelsea into an winning machine.  But long gone are the days of Gianfranco Zola and people fancying Chelsea as their second favorite club.

Ashley Cole was tapped up from Arsenal illegally.  The England left-back met with Chelsea officials and negotiated with Chelsea while he was still under contract with their London rivals.  John Obi Mikel was tapped up from Manchester United in much the same way.

The Gael Katuka transfer saga almost landed the Blues a two-year transfer ban.  Adrian Mutu was arrested with cocaine and eventually left the club in disgrace.  Didier Drogba, the club's best striker, frequently flops and flails and has gained a reputation as one of the worst divers in England.  

Chelsea players have learned: "Win first, worry later," and the Terry/Bridge fiasco is just another example.  

John Terry, as the captain of England and the captain of Chelsea, was given a responsibility and a duty to behave more professionally than any other player on his team.  He failed at that duty.  

As Wayne Bridge's best friend, he should have had a moral conflict not to do what he did. 

What has happened to Chelsea's morals?

Abramovich's win-first mentality has transformed the club and the players with it, and John Terry's only the most recent example.  Man City's recent 4-2 victory at Stamford Bridge is just another example of a team taking it up another notch because they have something to fight for.  How was Chelsea supposed to fight for their despicable captain?

The Blues' recent skid could very well be a result of the Terry/Bridge headlines, but there is a more probable solution to their problems, and he is one of the best players in the world.

His name is Michael Essien.  

Essien is the best holding midfielder in the world.  Every Premier League club spends each transfer window searching the world for a defensive midfielder to add to their club, except for Chelsea.  In Essien the Blues have one of the most ferocious and skilled players in the world, and the best at his position.

The likes of Alex Song, Darren Fletcher, and Javier Mascherano are the rest of the Big Four's answer to Essien.  But while all three are good players, none can hold a candle to the Ghanaian.

Essien's recent injury has led to Chelsea losses.  They sorely miss his muscle in midfield.

Last season, had Essien not suffered a serious injury, Scolari may never have been sacked.  The Ghanaian's wondervolley against Barcelona in the Champions League was a perfect example of that extra bit of quality Chelsea lacked all year, and his health this season has undoubtedly played a vital role in the club's early success.  

But his most recent injury has coincided with Terry's tabloid problem, and Chelsea have let the rest of the league catch up to them.  

Make no mistake, without Essien, Chelsea is half the team it can be.  When he regains fitness, Chelsea will swiftly become the unstoppable force that dominated Arsenal at the Emirates.

It would be a mistake to look only at Chelsea's recent form and write them off the title, as many people have.  When Essien returns, so will Chelsea.  

Sven Goran Eriksson has ruled himself out of the job with the Ivory Coast.

The Swede was at Loftus Road yesterday as South Korea beat the Elephants 2-0 in a World Cup warm-up match.

But the ex-England boss denied reports that he will step in to lead Didier Drogba's men to South Africa, with Guus Hiddink expected to get the job.

Eriksson said: "No, no no, this job has nothing to do with me."

Sven Goran Eriksson is being linked with Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast.

Eriksson saw Ivory Coast lose 2-0 to South Korea last night.
Former England and Manchester City boss Eriksson was the star attraction in a directors' box which also included Ciro Ferrarra, Dunga, Mick McCarthy, Peter Reid and Brian Laws to spark rumours he may take on the task of guiding the Ivorians through the finals - though Guus Hiddink remains the favourite.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has continued his brilliant start to 2010 by being named February’s PFA Fans’ Player of the Month.

Rooney was a runaway winner of the award, indicating his sizzling form is not being lost on the captive audience and Premier League officials alike.

He beat Chelsea pair Didier Drogba and John Terry to the award and it is becoming clear that if he continues this form, the PFA Player of the Year is at his mercy and he could even push himself into calculations for European and World Player of the Year titles.

Fabio Capello

Can't sleep. ... Must stop worrying about players. ... Are the DJs playing Gerrard's music? ... Is Rooney getting E. coli from eating raw meat? ... Who is JT letting cut his hair? ... Is Rio doing drunk karaoke at La Tasca again? If so, he better not be doing "Barbie Girl" by Aqua. I hate that song. ... Is Ashley Cole still growing that dirt beard? ... Did Theo Walcott get in a van with a man offering him candies? ... Too many worries. ... Oh God, Heskey! Where is Heskey?! Oh, he's pretending to be a coat rack in my living room. Nevermind...

Jesus Navas

So tired. ... Losing control of my face. ... Cheeks puffing. ... Eyes rolling back. ... Collar losing shape. ... I think. ... Yes. The flan that Florentino Perez made for me was tainted. ... Tainted flan. ... I should've known. ... His evil plan to bring me to Madrid. ... Gah -- if I wake up with no clothes on I'm going to blame Ronaldo...

Matias Fernandez

I hope they don't tickle me. ... Seriously, if they tickle me I'm going to pee my pants and that would be embarrassing. ... Oh no, they're tickling me. .... They're tickling me and they're not going to stop! ... Hahahahahahaha. ... Hahahaha there is nothing I can do to stop the tickle madness. ... Hahaha someone better get me a hairdryer and some air fresheners... 

Didier Drogba 

Time to pass out. Let's do the f***ing disgraces. ... First, there was the Ivory Coast's loss to South Korea. That was a total f***ing disgrace. ... Then my dry cleaning took a day longer than it should have. That was an obscene f***ing disgrace. ... Then Kalou ate the last Kit Kat bar after I just got done saying how much I wanted a Kit Kat bar. That was an unbelievable f***ing disgrace. ... Then Kalou tried to make up for the Kit Kat incident by buying me some Burger King, but Burger King was closed so he didn't. That was a tremendous f***ing disgrace. ... Then there was that time that croquet ball-headed ref cheated us out of the Champions League. That...that was a...

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Manchester City star Carlos Tevez says he would rather help the club into a Champions League position rather than win the Golden Boot.

The Argentine took his league tally to 15 goals (21 in all competitions) after his double at Chelsea on the weekend and now sits fourth in the race for the Premier League’s leading scorer title behind Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba and Jermain Defoe.

But he admits that is an award he could do without if it meant City did not finish in the top-four.

“It would be an achievement to win the Golden Boot against such players as Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba," he said.

"But what is important is that the team should win. It will be difficult to finish fourth, but we are at home to Tottenham, Aston Villa and Manchester United.

"And in those games, we must play like we did against Chelsea."

Tevez added that he was delighted by the 4-2 win over the league leaders and also thanked his supporters for their concern regarding the birth of his daughter Katia, who was six weeks premature.

"I'm happy for everyone that we beat Chelsea. I'm happy for the team and for the supporters for a great win,” he added.

"I want to thank the fans and the people of Manchester for their concern - my family is OK now.”

Chelsea star Didier Drogba has received a £565 fine and three penalty points after being found guilty of driving whilst not insured and without a license.

The Ivory Coast international, who holds an international driver’s license but has not passed a test in the UK, pleaded guilty but claimed his insurance company Axa said he was fine to drive in England and France with the license he holds.

"I believed there was no reason to be worried about driving the car in England because I was insured,” Drogba said.

"I explained to them I was living here but at the same time I had a house in France so the car was also staying in France because the family might need it for their own needs."

Another late 'that's how they are'-moment for Bayern has filled their rivals with a dreadful sense of deja vu

A little more than nine years ago, Patrik Andersson's last-minute free-kick won Bayern Munich the championship in Hamburg. An audibly distraught TV commentator summed up the momentous event in three weary words. "So sind sie" ("that's how they are"), lamented Premiere's Hansi Küpper in a manner that suggested he was ready to give up on life. The 2001 Meisterschaft – won after a distinctly unconvincing campaign – and the Champions League triumph in Milan four days later made amends for the Barcelona 1999 disaster. Bayern were reconfirmed as the team who always succeed; both they and most of their domestic rivals became convinced that Bavarian hegemony was an unshakable law of nature.

"Mia san mia" (we are who we are) is the club's self-congratulatory mantra. It celebrates Bayern-ness, as a by-word for success. This superiority complex, an unapologetic sense of entitlement and the highly pressurised environment have undoubtedly helped the club attain its special position within German football. But perhaps their real power lies in "that's how they are", the deeply ingrained fear of their deferential opponents, many of whom start the campaign dreaming only of second spot.

Yesterday's match against Hamburg saw another classic "So sind sie"-moment. After the league leaders Leverkusen were held to a 0-0 draw by Cologne – the visitors were so negative they should have been rechristened 1.FC Nein – Bayern needed a win to move top. But they were frustrated by a HSV team whose obduracy and clever collective game have made them the southerners' bogey team in recent years. They had never lost in the Allianz Arena before. Bruno Labbadia's men kept the ball well and looked dangerous every time they ventured forward; on the other side, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry were kept in check thanks to diligent work on the flanks. In between them, Mario Gómez brought to mind the second part of an old Daily Telegraph description of Didier Drogba ("In the same game, he manages to be the best and worst striker of the world): like his Swabian predecessor Jürgen "pinball" Klinsmann, he unnerved the crowd with a first touch that was more Fred West than George Best.

The two zeroes were looming large on the scoreboard when Ribéry picked up the ball and pace with 13 minutes to go. He isolated Guy Demel, turned inside, unleashed a shot that was later clocked at 112 km/h. It rocketed past Wolfgang Hesl and into the near side of the goal. Still, Frank Rost's deputy had no chance. 1-0, game over. That was enough for three points and first place in the table – for the first time in 22 months, 652 days, 57 rounds of matches.

Had he scored a few minutes later, the Frenchman's golden goal would have undoubtedly been seen as proof of the "Bayern-Dusel", Bayern's tendency to get lucky. In fact, all those lucky, late goals out of nothing or against the run of play have simply been a function of their transfer policy: Bayern historically prefer to buy stars (or at least biggish names) rather than building functioning teams. As a result, they often win thanks to a piece of individual magic while playing fairly badly.

Sunday was a perfect case in point. "Franck has the quality to decide matches," said Louis van Gaal. "We knew this game would hinge on the little things, today Ribéry made the difference," said a dejected Labbadia. "They just had a bit more individual quality," added the Hamburg midfielder Piotr Trochowski.

And thus normal service was resumed. The fact that Bayern's rise to the top coincided with the festivities for their 110th anniversary – cue fireworks and bombastic music in the ground – can only have added to Leverkusen's dread. It all felt so inevitable. Even before the match, the president, Uli Hoeness, had predicted that Bayern would win the title "comfortably" this season. Afterwards, those in red were naturally convinced that what goes up must stay up. "Our rivals can stop pretending now," said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the Bayern chief executive; "I would bet on Bayern in the league," said Van Gaal.

Two points is hardly a safe cushion and the scatter-gun brilliance of Rib and Rob will not always mask other inadequacies. But there is an ominous sense that Bayern merely arrived where they belong after two years in the wilderness. "We are who we are" had given way to a nervous "who are we?" under Klinsmann; Van Gaal's shaky start – the Dutchman tinkered with formations and tactics, all the way to a patently mad 3-3-3-1 line-up in the Hamburg away game – threatened to prolong their identity crisis. For if Bayern are not first, they're nothing. On Sunday, they found themselves again.

Talking points

• Third-placed Schalke came from behind to win a racy Revierderby against Dortmund 2-1. Ivan Rakitic's late, beautiful shot settled the grudge match on Friday night. S04 coach Felix Magath, wasn't happy, however: he stormed out of a TV interview when they showed him footage of Kevin Kuranyi pushing Mats Hummels. The Dortmund defender broke his jaw in the subsequent collision with Roman Weidenfeller's fist. "I'm fed up," thundered Magath before lamenting that Schalke, despite their big fanbase, were missing "a lobby in the media". "I thought their edit of the highlights was biased," he explained on Sunday, "and it wasn't the first time." On reflection, Magath did accept his reaction "wasn't the right one" though.

• Nürnberg eked out a valuable point in a 0-0 draw at Bochum. The relegation battle was only marginally more sizzling than a frozen Wiener Würstchen past its sell-by date but some "Club" supporters still found it too hot to handle: they unwittingly set themselves alight with a couple of flares. Eight people had to be treated in hospital for burns.

• Man of the moment Cacau scored his sixth and seventh goal in three games to put a spirited Frankfurt in their place. Stuttgart can harbour genuine hopes for a Europa League place after the 2-1 win.

• Hannover, on the other hand, are quickly running out of games. They went down 1-0 to resurgent Wolfsburg. Mirko Slomka has now lost all six games since coming in after the winter break. The last man to achieve this unenviable feat was Klaus-Peter Nemet (St Pauli, 1995-96). Who? Exactly.

Results

Schalke 2-1 Dortmund, Hertha 0-2 Hoffenheim, Stuttgart 2-1 Frankfurt, Mainz 1-2 Bremen, Gladbach 1-1 Freiburg, Bochum 0-0 Nürnberg, Leverkusen 0-0 Köln, Hannover 0-1 Wolfsburg, Bayern 1-0 Hamburg.

Sunderland have joined the scramble for Anderlecht whizkid Romelu Lukaku.

The People says Sunderland joined Everton and Spurs running the rule over Anderlecht's wonder kid Lukaku in their UEFA Europa League victory over Athletic Club on Thursday.

Lukaku has been likened to Chelsea star Didier Drogba.

Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry says teammate Carlos Tevez is up there with the best Premiership players.

Tevez's double at Chelsea has seen Tevez hit the 20-goal barrier this season.

“I think he’s in the Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba bracket,” Barry said of his team-mate. “He’s got all the potential. His goals this season and the way he has lead the line on his own have been brilliant.”

With his brace in the win at Chelsea, Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez reached the 20-goal barrier.

Fifteen of those are in the League - he had just five last season - keeping him in the frame for the Golden Boot.

He told City's website: "That would be an achievement against such as Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba.

"But what is important is that the team should win. It will be difficult to finish fourth but we are at home to Tottenham, Villa, Manchester United. We must play like we did at Chelsea."

Tevez, who missed four games on compassionate leave, dedicated his first goal to daughter Katia and added: "I trained every day so I am physically OK. I want to thank the fans and the people of Manchester for their concern - my family is OK now."