London--Liverpool must reluctantly subject themselves to the after-glow of Chelsea's Premier League title triumph on Sunday as they attempt to keep their paper-thin hopes of Champions League qualification alive.
A year ago, the teams were vying for the title and despite Chelsea puncturing Liverpool's late-season momentum with a 2-0 win at Anfield, it was Brendan Rodgers's side who finished higher in the table.
Now, it is Chelsea who are champions, after last weekend's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, with Liverpool a huge 22 points behind them and in the unfortunate position of having to grant their rivals a pre-game guard of honour.
Manchester United's 2-1 victory at Palace on Saturday left them seven points clear of Liverpool, and with a comfortably superior goal difference (+25 to +11), in the fourth and final Champions League qualifying berth.
Liverpool must therefore win their last three games to stand a realistic chance of a top-four finish, which would involve becoming only the second team to condemn Jose Mourinho to a home league defeat as Chelsea manager.
But midfielder Jordan Henderson says his side will draw extra motivation from having to applaud their opponents onto the pitch.
"You have to respect the team because they have been the best team over the season," said the England international. "Of course it will be difficult doing that, but you have to pay your respects.
"You have to remember the feeling that it is what we want to achieve. You have to bottle that and make sure next season we can have a really good go and use it as motivation and drive to push on."
Rodgers will take encouragement from his side's performance on their last visit to Stamford Bridge, when Chelsea needed an extra-time header from Branislav Ivanovic to secure victory in a keenly fought League Cup semi-final.
Mourinho may also elect to rotate his squad, but he has set his players the target of finishing the campaign on 92 points by winning their last three games.
AFP
