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Chelsea were furious to lose Ngumoha to Liverpool

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Nizaar Kinsella

BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Privately, Chelsea have pledged not to lose another talent of the calibre of Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha, 17.

The move was a monumental blow to the academy at Cobham and, since then, the club have made a concerted effort to ensure players such as Ryan Kavuma‑McQueen, who is on Chelsea’s bench today, do not follow suit.

Liverpool were able to offer a clearer pathway, according to those involved, for a player widely regarded as Chelsea’s standout talent in his age group.

You can read more on how Liverpool poached him from Chelsea and the consequences it sparked afterwards here.

Flying the flag

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Good to see The Kop full of flags and banners again.

Fan groups announced last month that flags and banners would not be on display for the rest of the season in protest against ticket price rises.

However, the club announced in midweek that it would cut the size of their planned rise in ticket prices for the next couple of seasons.

Read: Liverpool reduce planned rise in ticket prices.

'We are here and are not giving up'

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Chelsea

Chelsea's Malo Gusto, speaking to TNT Sports, on the mood among the team: "It's a tough period for us, we know the last few games were complicated in terms of results but we are here and are not giving up. We still compete for what we want to achieve and today is a good opportunity.

"It's important to show the fans and the club and the people that we are Chelsea, we have to win games and still compete for what we want. Today is a great opportunity for that."

'We know what's at stake'

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Liverpool

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, speaking to TNT Sports, on facing Chelsea today: "Tough one. They obviously are not having a great season like us. We know what's at stake today, we know this is a massive opportunity for us in order to get close to or get the job done in terms of Champions League football for next season. It's going to be a tough one today but I'm looking forward to it."

On only needing four points to guarantee Champions League football: "That's the least that we as a club owe to our fans to get it done. We have three games left and want to give everything we have."

On what's to come next season: "Winning always makes a difference. There are three more games that we want to win, we want to play good football. It's a big gap until pre-season and we will see how we are at that point."

Liverpool limping to finishing line

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Aadam Patel

Football Reporter at Anfield

It was interesting to hear Arne Slot suggest that even if Liverpool win their last three games with very good performances, that would still not silence the criticism that has come his way.

The Liverpool boss is well aware of the atmosphere surrounding his side at the moment, after a season that has seen them lose 18 times already across all competitions.

And even though Champions League qualification could be secured this weekend, this will always be a season where Liverpool have underperformed and failed to live up to expectations.

Trophy-less season

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Liverpool

Liverpool have been winning trophies since Sir David Attenborough, who celebrated his 100th birthday on Friday, was in nappies.

This season, however, will end trophy-less.

The Reds were knocked out of the Champions League and the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage, got no further than the fourth round in the Carabao Cup, and were beaten in the Community Shield way back in August.

Last season's Premier League champions start against Chelsea 18 points behind leaders Arsenal.

Salah taking it all in

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Aadam Patel

Football Reporter at Anfield

Mohamed Salah is certainly taking it all in. After this, Liverpool only have one home game left and he's hoping to be fit and ready for that so he can give a proper farewell to the Anfield crowd.

As for now, he's stood on the touchline tucking into his fruit salad and signing away for the fans. He then makes an effort to greet all his teammates as they head back in from their warm-up.

'Falling apart for Chelsea'

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

It is all falling apart for Chelsea and, after six straight league defeats, they are down in ninth place and absolutely desperate for a result at Anfield.

I just don't see them getting anything at though. Cole Palmer looks a shadow of the player we know he is and they are struggling defensively too.

Sutton's prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea

A bleak picture for Chelsea in hunt for Europe

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Nizaar Kinsella

BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Things look bleak for Chelsea as they head into this match at Anfield.

Confidence and morale are low after a six-game losing run in the Premier League, with the club looking to avoid extending that to seven matches for only the second time in their history.

Such a run would represent Chelsea's worst sequence of results for 74 years and, having been among the favourites for Champions League qualification at the start of this dismal spell, they now face the serious prospect of failing to qualify for Europe altogether.

If Aston Villa finish fifth and beat Freiburg in the Europa League final then it opens up Champions League football to the sixth place team, but Chelsea need to close the four-point gap on Bournemouth with just three games left to play to be in with a chance.

Meanwhile, Protests are planned at Chelsea's next two matches.

The first will take place at the FA Cup final next Saturday, followed by another on Tuesday at their final home game of the season against relegation-threatened rivals Tottenham, as fan anger continues to grow in west London.

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Get Involved: Liverpool's season - your views

Click 'Get Involved' at the top of the page

Ian: There's no fight in the team, they've got lazy and sloppy. There are so many passes going astray in every game, so many mistakes in defence, so many chances missed and we've got the worst midfield we've had in years. We need a massive clearance throughout the club, not just the players, the recruitment team and management need to go too before we end up mid-table nobodies.

'A disappointing and unacceptable season'

Liverpool v Chelsea (12:30 BST)

Aadam Patel

Football Reporter at Anfield

“This has been a very disappointing season - an unacceptable one, in my opinion - but we cannot feel sorry for ourselves. That is what not what Liverpool is about.”

Those are the words of Virgil van Dijk in his programme not. It’s not the first time the Liverpool skipper has used those words to describe this campaign but it does underline just how strongly he feels about the season.

Against a Chelsea side that can’t buy a win at the moment, no less than three points will do.

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