adminLONDON. — It was the moment that defined an entire season – Steven Gerrard slipped, Demba Ba scored and a dream died. Liverpool last played host to Chelsea on April 27, when a Jose Mourinho tactical master-class with a weakened team resulted in a 2-0 victory that ended Liverpool’s 11-game winning streak and allowed Manchester City to surge forward from the chasing pack to claim the title.
This time it is Chelsea putting a successful run on the line as they aim to maintain, or perhaps extend, their four-point advantage at the top of the English Premier League ahead of the international break.
Mourinho’s team have looked imperious since the first minute of this season and start as heavy favourites against maddeningly inconsistent Liverpool.
Only three teams have exceeded Chelsea’s current total of 26 points at this stage of the season – Manchester City in 2011-2012 (28pts), Chelsea in 2005-2006 (28) and Newcastle United in 1995-96 (27).
Mourinho may have blasted his players’ lack of concentration as they were held in the Champions League by Maribor in midweek but that won’t be a problem today.
Chelsea haven’t lost a competitive match since their semi-final with Atletico Madrid in April, the match immediately after their decisive win at Anfield.
Gerrard admitted that slip, which took away his best chance at a Premier League medal, will forever haunt him but at least he should be fresh as he tries to enact a bit of revenge this weekend.
Brendan Rodgers left him, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho and Mario Balotelli on the bench against Real Madrid on Tuesday with this game in mind.
But none of them can claim to have performed well on a regular basis this season and their sustained title challenge last time looks like a flash in the pan. — Mailonline
Online Reporter