Sports Chelsea could hand Liverpool 1st PL title in 30 years should Reds win Palace
Chelsea could hand Liverpool their first league title in 30 years should the Reds overcome Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.
Jurgen Klopp's side only need five more points to win their first ever Premier League trophy.
But they might only need three points should they beat Roy Hodgson's Palace and Manchester City in second place drop points at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
The Merseyside club are 20 points clear of Pep Guardiola's side who can earn a maximum of 87 points should they win all their remaining eight games.
But if City even draw against Frank Lampard's men, their highest possible points tally drops to 85 and as Liverpool currently have 83 points, they can jump to an insurmountable 86 points with a win over the Eagles.
Should the Reds and City both win their next game there will be a showdown at the Etihad on July 2 where City would have to win to halt Liverpool's title procession.
If City were to win that game also, Klopp's side would need to beat Aston Villa at Anfield on July 5.
Liverpool resumed their campaign with a sluggish 0-0 draw at rivals Everton on Sunday.
Whereas current champions City have scored eight without reply in their first two matches by beating Arsenal 3-0 and Burnley 5-0 most recently on Monday.
Klopp has said he is not looking for the perfect ending to Liverpool’s record-breaking season — all he wants is to hold the Premier League trophy.
But there is no right or wrong way to win the title. Manchester United ended their 26-year wait in 1993 sitting at home when Oldham beat Aston Villa, and City were confirmed champions in 2018 when West Bromwich Albion won at Old Trafford.
Klopp recognises there will be something eerie this evening with the stands empty, but simply wants matters resolved.
‘Honestly, if it will happen I don’t care too much where it will be,’ said Klopp, who will restore Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson to his starting line-up after both trained without issue.
‘That’s how it is. To be in a stadium, in a game with a decisive goal is not too bad.
‘I had that twice (with Borussia Dortmund). Winning the Champions League final (in 2019) and being in the stadium when that happens is pretty good as well. But, again, life is not perfect so you have to deal with the circumstances.
‘I don’t want to talk about what we do if we win it, I just don’t care. I will feel what I feel and speak enough about it then if it happens.
‘Until then I just don’t think about it. I want to win football games, and if something happens, we will react on that. The rest, I don’t care.’
