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<DIV class=cnnStoryHeader><H2>Mourinho: Shevchenko still starting</H2><DIV class=cnnTimeStamp>Posted: Thursday September 28, 2006 7:40AM; Updated: Thursday September 28, 2006 7:40AM</DIV></DIV><DIV class=cnnStoryBody>
LONDON (AP) -- Andriy Shevchenko has scored only one goal since the season began -- a poor return for Chelsea's $56 million outlay.
He'll get another chance to make good the investment in Saturday's Premier League match against unbeaten Aston Villa because manager Jose Mourinho refuses to drop his star striker on to the bench despite his poor form.
"Until he scores a goal he is in my lineup," Mourinho said. "He has no chance to be dropped. Two, three, four, five games. It doesn't matter. He will play until he scores a goal."
Didier Drogba scored all three in Chelsea's 3-1 win Wednesday over Levski Sofia in the Champions League, and he could be needed again this weekend.
It won't be easy to score against Villa, a club rejuvenated since Martin O'Neill took over as manager this season. Villa is unbeaten in six league games and has given up only three goals in league play.
Chelsea has been just as stingy, with only three goals allowed.
Quietly, the Blues are on top again in the Premier League, with 15 points in six games. That puts them two ahead of Manchester United and Portsmouth, and three ahead of Everton and Aston Villa.
"We are top of the league in England and we are top of the group in the Champions League and we are still not playing very, very well," Mourinho said. "We need to improve."
Like Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are starting to play much better. But their slow starts have left them far off the league lead. Liverpool is five points behind and the Gunners trail by seven.
This week marks the 10th anniversary of Arsene Wenger's arrival at Arsenal from Japanese club Nagoya Grampus Eight.
Nicknamed "The Professor," Wenger has won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, taken the Gunners to last season's Champions League final and was a moving force behind the club's new Emirates Stadium.
"It wouldn't be a good thing for Arsenal to be without Arsene Wenger," former Gunners' striker Ian Wright said. "You just get a little bit frightened because he has already achieved a lot at Arsenal. The only thing he hasn't won is the Champions League and that is not through the want of trying."
Arsenal plays at London rival Charlton on Saturday.
In three other games Saturday, it's: Bolton vs. Liverpool, Everton vs. Manchester City, and Sheffield United vs. Middlesbrough.
On Sunday, it's West Ham vs. Reading, Blackburn vs. Wigan, Manchester United vs. Newcastle and Tottenham vs. Portsmouth.
On Monday, it's Watford vs. Fulham.
Liverpool's is coming off a 3-2 victory over Galatasaray in the Champions League, and 6-foot-7 striker Peter Crouch is still the man. Crouch scored two against Galatasaray, including a spectacular scissors kick to make it 3-0 early in the second half.
Crouch has five goals in all competitions, No. 2 in England behind Drogba with seven.
Asked if the scissors-kick goal was his best with Liverpool, Crouch replied: "Yes, I would say so. You don't get too many of those."
Manchester United is also coming off a victory in the Champions League, 1-0 at Benfica. United has only one point from its last two league game and must win to keep pace with Chelsea.
"Consistency is all we have been missing," Man United defender Rio Ferdinand said "We play eight, nine and 10 really good games, then we have a couple of bad ones. You cannot afford to do that if you want to win the league."
Tottenham, which finished fifth last season, needs some goals. Spurs have only two in six league games and have a difficult match at White Hart Lane against Portsmouth.
"We know we have players in the team who will always score goals," Spurs manager Martin Jol said. "It's just a matter of getting that first one and then to kick-on from there."
In the League Championship, Cardiff leads with
LONDON (AP) -- Andriy Shevchenko has scored only one goal since the season began -- a poor return for Chelsea's $56 million outlay.
He'll get another chance to make good the investment in Saturday's Premier League match against unbeaten Aston Villa because manager Jose Mourinho refuses to drop his star striker on to the bench despite his poor form.
"Until he scores a goal he is in my lineup," Mourinho said. "He has no chance to be dropped. Two, three, four, five games. It doesn't matter. He will play until he scores a goal."
Didier Drogba scored all three in Chelsea's 3-1 win Wednesday over Levski Sofia in the Champions League, and he could be needed again this weekend.
It won't be easy to score against Villa, a club rejuvenated since Martin O'Neill took over as manager this season. Villa is unbeaten in six league games and has given up only three goals in league play.
Chelsea has been just as stingy, with only three goals allowed.
Quietly, the Blues are on top again in the Premier League, with 15 points in six games. That puts them two ahead of Manchester United and Portsmouth, and three ahead of Everton and Aston Villa.
"We are top of the league in England and we are top of the group in the Champions League and we are still not playing very, very well," Mourinho said. "We need to improve."
Like Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are starting to play much better. But their slow starts have left them far off the league lead. Liverpool is five points behind and the Gunners trail by seven.
This week marks the 10th anniversary of Arsene Wenger's arrival at Arsenal from Japanese club Nagoya Grampus Eight.
Nicknamed "The Professor," Wenger has won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, taken the Gunners to last season's Champions League final and was a moving force behind the club's new Emirates Stadium.
"It wouldn't be a good thing for Arsenal to be without Arsene Wenger," former Gunners' striker Ian Wright said. "You just get a little bit frightened because he has already achieved a lot at Arsenal. The only thing he hasn't won is the Champions League and that is not through the want of trying."
Arsenal plays at London rival Charlton on Saturday.
In three other games Saturday, it's: Bolton vs. Liverpool, Everton vs. Manchester City, and Sheffield United vs. Middlesbrough.
On Sunday, it's West Ham vs. Reading, Blackburn vs. Wigan, Manchester United vs. Newcastle and Tottenham vs. Portsmouth.
On Monday, it's Watford vs. Fulham.
Liverpool's is coming off a 3-2 victory over Galatasaray in the Champions League, and 6-foot-7 striker Peter Crouch is still the man. Crouch scored two against Galatasaray, including a spectacular scissors kick to make it 3-0 early in the second half.
Crouch has five goals in all competitions, No. 2 in England behind Drogba with seven.
Asked if the scissors-kick goal was his best with Liverpool, Crouch replied: "Yes, I would say so. You don't get too many of those."
Manchester United is also coming off a victory in the Champions League, 1-0 at Benfica. United has only one point from its last two league game and must win to keep pace with Chelsea.
"Consistency is all we have been missing," Man United defender Rio Ferdinand said "We play eight, nine and 10 really good games, then we have a couple of bad ones. You cannot afford to do that if you want to win the league."
Tottenham, which finished fifth last season, needs some goals. Spurs have only two in six league games and have a difficult match at White Hart Lane against Portsmouth.
"We know we have players in the team who will always score goals," Spurs manager Martin Jol said. "It's just a matter of getting that first one and then to kick-on from there."
In the League Championship, Cardiff leads with
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