The Blues manager is without key defender Ricardo Carvalho - although opposite number Rafael Benitez insists he will "wait to see the team sheet first" before believing that - and Mourinho expects to see Crouch leading the Reds attack. The England man was left on the bench last week in the first leg, when Chelsea won 1-0, but Liverpool's performance improved considerably when he came on for Craig Bellamy. Mourinho arrived at Anfield on Monday night for training insisting his side were not favourites because "Liverpool have been able to rest for a week, while we were playing two days ago and having to handle the physical and emotional pressures of the Premier League." And he also raised some concerns over the appointment of Spanish referee, Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez, to control the second-leg at Anfield, the same official who took charge of Liverpool's Champions League final in Istanbul two seasons ago when they won the trophy for the fifth time. But he seemed more concerned with the absence of Carvalho with an ankle problem, the arrival of Crouch and a Liverpool long-ball game. Benitez had already seen that one coming and earlier had dismissed any complaints of Spanish favouritism, but Mourinho carefully highlighted the issue, saying: "The referee is Spanish, and a top referee. I prefer a top Spanish referee than a bad referee from another nationality. "But I can imagine if he was Portuguese what everyone would say about it. "But I say nothing, just that Mr Gonzalez is one of the best referees in Europe and I want to believe he comes here to do a professional job, a job without heart, a job as a professional. He is a top referee, nothing else, I believe that." Mourinho likewise dismissed Benitez's claims that Chelsea would be intimidated by the Anfield atmosphere, saying: "A great atmosphere supporting the home team is always good for the home team. A hostile one for the away team can depend on the players' character. "But, at this level, a hostile atmosphere can be a good motivation for people with a lot of experience. I do not see [Claude] Makelele not sleeping tonight because of the atmosphere coming up. "Everyone wants good atmospheres, and Liverpool's fans always provide that. It is good. "We have prepared ourselves for this atmosphere. Referees must also prepare themselves for matches with players asking for this, for that, for this, for that. They have to be strong. They have to be strong enough to cope with it. "And I am not interested what Rafa Benitez is suggesting [about the atmosphere], I am not interested in what he says so don't tell me what Rafa has been saying. "We will cope with the atmosphere. I do not think someone like Makelele will be having sleepless nights." And Mourinho was clear on one thing. Crouch will play. The Portuguese coach said: "Rafa is a good manager. In Peter Crouch he has a player who is two metres tall and Ricardo Carvalho is not playing. I think he is intelligent if he plays the direct game to Crouch, that is normal, obvious. "Yes, we will miss Carvalho. He has been our best defender, one part of the season without Petr Cech behind him, another without John Terry beside him and another without Michael Essien in front of him. "He has been the main man, the pillar. So to miss him in such a big game is a big blow. We have other solutions, and do not forget that we are winning and every time we play Liverpool and score before them, we always get the right result. "We are leading 1-0, those are good conditions to have self-belief that we can win the tie."