Play Drogba and Anelka upfront together, says Lee Dixon

The Israeli would say that the 4-3-3 formation has got Chelsea to within three points of Sir Alex Ferguson's side and helped them go on an unbeaten run in the league lasting an impressive 18 games so far. But the Blues can't afford a repeat of their struggle to create chances at Liverpool, against Manchester United.

Lee Dixon knows what it takes to win a championship, having won it four times with Arsenal - one of which included Anelka in the 1997-98 campaign.

The former right-back is a fan of the French international and believes Grant should go on the attack against United by using him and Drogba in a 4-4-2 formation. He said: "Chelsea have to go for it against Manchester United this weekend - they have not got much choice.

"They have to win the game and it is the manager's job to pick a team capable of doing that.

"I always get confused with all this 'he can play with him but not him' debate. I think that if you are a decent player then you can play alongside anyone.

"Yes, you might have to adapt your game a little bit but it works if you are intelligent enough and I know Nicolas is an intelligent player.

"I am not too sure about Drogba's football intelligence. So I think it is more about Nicolas adapting his game rather than Drogba."

Grant should be given even more encouragement to test Manchester United's defence with two strikers as the visitors could be without Nemanja Vidic due to a stomach infection.

They looked nervous without the Serbian international against Barcelona last night, and also missed him when they were fortunate to draw at Middlesbrough and beat Arsenal earlier this month.

Anelka has usually only come off the bench to play with Drogba and, even then, he has been asked to play on the left or right wing, much to the frustration of the Chelsea supporters.

However, it was his presence in the box, along with Drogba, that forced John Arne Riise to score the crucial own goal at Anfield on Tuesday night.

Despite the evidence, Grant is unlikely to make any changes to his policy of playing one up front, and it is a decision that has the full backing of former Chelsea striker Kerry Dixon.

He said: "Avram has got this far doing it his own way and he will do whatever he thinks is right. Managers stand and fall by their own decisions. Everyone has a different idea how to play the game, but at the end of the day it's about the result.

"Didier was too isolated on Tuesday night, but Chelsea still got the result. There is no point people keep hammering someone and saying this isn't right.

"The team as a whole didn't play well and they were fortunate to get a draw, but in a two-legged tie they got the result they wanted.

"Saturday is a one-off game, Chelsea know what they have to do, as does Avram. If he changes the shape at this late stage by playing two strikers who haven't really played together and it doesn't work, he will have egg on his face if it fails. I don't think he will do it.

"It's best for him to stick with the formation the team is used to playing. If the game is not going right he can always change things by using the bench later on and bringing Anelka on. It has got him this far so why change things?"

It is a view shared by former England captain Alan Shearer, who feels that the two strikers don't gel well together. He said: "They had the chance in the Carling Cup Final against Spurs to play together and it did not seem to work.

"I don't know if Avram Grant doesn't think they can work together, but they have not hit it off as a pair yet in the system that Chelsea play.

"It is probably a straightforward choice between the two of them."