Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be without the man he calls 'The Train' as they look to gain an advantage over Liverpool in Wednesday night's UEFA Champions League semi-final first-leg at Anfield.

Essien, who was formerly known as 'The Bison', had his nickname changed by Mourinho as the Portuguese boss believes that his style of play resembles an express train rather than a type of wild cattle.

The Ghana international certainly kept Chelsea on the right track in their quarter-final second leg against Valencia when he scored the last-gasp matchwinner that set up a rematch with the Merseysiders.

That was Essien's first game back after a knee problem which he picked up in the FA Cup quarter-final draw with Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on March 11.

But Essien's first-minute yellow-card in the same leg sees him miss the opening game with Liverpool and Mourinho knows exactly what he will be missing.

The Blues boss said: "Essien is a special player. He is an athlete. He can run forever. He could play a game every day. He is a superb athlete. When we lost him one month ago it was a big, big loss.

"But he was ready to come back for the Valencia game. I know he is suspended for the next game but this one was the crucial one. The next one is not crucial."

But Mourinho refused to be drawn on getting revenge against the Reds for their semi-final loss two years ago when Spaniard Luis Garcia scored a controversial winning goal.

Mourinho to this day remains adamant that the ball was cleared by defender William Gallas before it had crossed the line but is determined not to hype up the rematch a grudge encounter.

He added: "Revenge is not for me. It is not a word for me in football or life. We know we start from behind and why - it is simple because Liverpool plays only Champions League, we play everything else.

"We have players suspended and on yellow cards and Liverpool is in a very clean situation so I think they start in front of us.

"But the mentality and the character my players are showing - we will be ready for them."