Chelsea will try to move closer to UEFA Champions League qualification on Sunday when the team hosts a Liverpool side coming off the high of clinching the league title in front of its home fans.
Chelsea (17-8-9, 60 points) sit fifth in the battle for five spots in next season’s UCL, ahead of Nottingham Forest on goal difference but also behind third-place Newcastle by only two points.
And after losing 2-1 at Anfield last October, there’s some suggestion that the timing of Liverpool’s visit — following the team’s 5-1 home win last weekend over Tottenham to clinch its 20th English league title — could be beneficial.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca staunchly disagrees.
“It’s always nice to play in this kind of game, but I don’t think they will be any different or relaxed because they have already won the title,” Maresca said. “They are a very good team and deserved to win the Premier League this season. The gap is there, you can see clearly. My feeling is we are in the right direction and hopefully this gap can be smaller and closer next season.”
The Blues also are coming off a short turnaround following Thursday night’s 4-1 win at Djurgarden in Sweden in UEFA Europa Conference Leg 1 play.
Maresca made several rotations, including saving Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson until the second half. The duo then connected for Chelsea’s last two goals.
Meanwhile, Liverpool (25-2-7, 82 points) had the full week to absorb their achievement now that they’re no longer involved in domestic or continental cup competition.
There are still small targets to play for, such as helping Mo Salah — currently on 28 league goals — try to match his career best of 32 set in his first Liverpool season. The Egyptian also holds a comfortable six-goal lead over Newcastle’s Alexander Isak for the Premier League scoring title.
It’s also been a week of reflection for Arne Slot and his charges. And for the Dutchman, that includes a bit of wonder at how far his side has come since its first meeting with Chelsea, when the title race was wide open.
“We played them earlier on in the season, and I’m completely surprised — not shocked, but surprised — if I look at the gap we have with them at the moment, because at that moment in time they were the better team on the pitch,” Slot said.
“In the game, we had to suffer more than any other game maybe,” he continued. “So to be so many points ahead of them is a big compliment for everyone here at this club.”
–Field Level Media
