Liverpool v Chelsea: Will Rafa do Fergie a favour by beating the Blues?

Nobody ever wants to see their team lose but, given what is at stake this afternoon at Anfield, I’m sure a few Liverpool fans will make an exception. The destination of the Premier League title ultimately rests in their hands. Defeat today and Chelsea will almost certainly claim their third title this century. Victory for Liverpool though will not only gift wrap the title for their fiercest rivals Manchester United it will also see the Red Devils overtake their proud longstanding haul of 18 league titles.

The conspiracy theorists have been out in force all week claiming that Liverpool will roll over for the leaders in order to thwart United’s hopes of claiming their fourth title on the bounce. However, despite enduring a terrible season by their standards, Liverpool are a team that epitomises integrity and there’s no way they will lay down for Chelsea – especially not when there is still is a slim chance of them finishing fourth.

This will be the 26^th meeting between the two sides in the past six seasons (it’s worse than the SPL!) and there is no love loss between the two. They have played out some classic matches down the years and some that we would rather forget but controversy in never far away when the two sides lock horns.

Liverpool completed the double over Chelsea in the league last season but were shot down 2-0 by the Blues in October thanks to goals by Anelka and Malouda. Ancelotti’s men, overlooking the Tottenham defeat, have been in top form as they pursue silverware. They’ve netted 26 goals in their past seven league and cup outings and conceded just three. However, they haven’t won at Anfield in the league since a Didier Drogba-inspired performance saw them run out 4-1 winners in 2005. Could this be the day they rewrite that stat and take one giant leap towards the title?

Liverpool v Chelsea; Kick Off 1:30pm 02 May 2010

Prediction Panel

Our panel contains both Squarefootball writers and readers, the writers are marked: (sqf).

Dave Blackburn : 0 - 0
Chris Cox : 0 - 3
Graham Enwright : TBC
Sue Gardener : 1 - 3
Chris Goodwin : 1 - 3
Paul Grech (sqf) : TBC
Colin Illingworth (sqf) : 1 - 2
Hugh Larkin (sqf) : TBC
Peter Lee : 1 - 2
Don McMahon : 2 - 2
Antony Melvin (sqf) : 1 - 1
Paul O'Meara (sqf) : TBC
Dave Nash : 1 - 0
Stephen Orford (sqf) : TBC
Tony Ratton : 2 - 2
Peter Rendle : 2 - 2
Dan Taylor : 2 - 2
Andy Wakeman : 1 - 2
Isaac Williams : TBC
Mark Williams : TBC

Panel Verdict

The Panel doesn’t hold out much hope for a Liverpool win but half believe they could spoil Chelsea’s title hopes.

Home: 1; Draw: 6; Away: 6; TBC: 7.

* Do we have it right, or do you know better? Please don't bother with derisory comments on the predictions after the match - unless you also pulled us up before it!