Liverpool Will Give Chelsea A Guard Of Honour If They Are Crowned Champions This Weekend

Liverpool will applaud Chelsea on to the pitch when they face them at Stamford Bridge next Sunday if the Barclays Premier League leaders clinch the title against Crystal Palace this weekend.

Opposition teams traditionally lead the champions on to the field in a guard of honour and despite the rivalry between the two clubs, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers wants his players to pay homage to Chelsea.

That means Steven Gerrard and co will face the humiliation of applauding their rivals on to the Stamford Bridge pitch if the Blues beat Palace on Sunday, or Arsenal fail to match their result away at Hull City on Monday night.


When asked whether his team would offer the champions-elect a guard of honour if they were to wrap up the title before playing his side, Rodgers said: 'Absolutely. This club is based on dignity and respect and class.

'Whoever is the champions, that’s what you do.'

Chelsea and Liverpool have been fierce rivals across the last decade, trading blows in the Premier League, Champions League and both domestic cup competitions.

This season, the Blues have won two of their three games against the Anfield club including a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture on Merseyside back in November, while knocking them out of the Capital One Cup at the semi-final stage in January.


Los Angeles Galaxy-bound Liverpool captain Gerrard - whose slip against Chelsea effectively cost his team the title last season - is expected to be fit to face Queens Park Rangers this weekend ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge.

But former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge will be missing and it is unclear whether he will need surgery to solve the hip problem that is likely to end his campaign.

There is precedent for top sides offering their congratulations to each other in a guard of honour in the past, with Chelsea led out at Old Trafford by Manchester United in 2005 and the Blues repaying the favour in 2007.