Few players remain on either side from the infamous slip game. Who remains on Chelsea and Liverpool and how might they influence the match?
Some Premier League matches standout as pivotal moments in the competitions history. Few are as easily marked as key moments as the infamous Steven Gerrard slip match.
Liverpool, decades after their last title, allowed themselves to believe. Jose Mourinho did what he does best; he spoiled the party. He set his side up to aggravate Liverpool to the point where they caused their own collapse. In Gerrard’s case, it proved literal as he slipped with Demba Ba running through to score the goal that deflated the Liverpool balloon for what was left of their title push.
Five years later, Liverpool is finally recovering from the slip with another title push. And because fate is funny sometimes, a Chelsea side fighting for third is once again in their way. Few players remain from that day on either side but how they influence their sides may prove vital in how the fixture turns out.
Sure to be on the pitch will be two players that saw the field that day for Chelsea. Cesar Azpilicueta and Mohamed Salah both started for the Blues that day as Mourinho rotated heavily between two Champions League fixtures. It is unlikely that Maurizio Sarri will ask Azpilicueta to lead in time wasting in the same way that Mourinho did but he will eagerly recall the day.
Salah having been part of that Chelsea dressing room and now part of the Liverpool dressing room could be the Blues’ biggest detriment. He will have surely told his teammates about how Chelsea planned to stop Liverpool that day. Jurgen Klopp may say he does not care about that day because he was not around, but he will have surely sat Salah down and taken notes from the Egyptian ahead of the match.
Coming on late that match was the scorer of the second goal that fully destroyed Liverpool’s confidence: Willian. The Brazilian has had an up and down Chelsea career depending on who is asked, but on his days Willian is excellent. Sarri is unlikely to start the Brazilian but the temptation of experience will be strong for the Italian manager.
Not featuring that day but ever present in the Chelsea squad were David Luiz and Eden Hazard. Neither took part for Chelsea but being in that locker room that day will be power. Both are now leaders in the squad and the players will listen eagerly to what they have to say.
Three players remain that were at the clubs that day but are incredibly unlikely to play in 2019’s fixture. Gary Cahill is, at best, a peripheral player at Chelsea despite being the captain. Simon Mignolet has not been trusted since the Champions League final. And Daniel Sturridge is a glass cannon that Klopp uses sparingly.
These players have surely all fielded questions from their staff and teammates about that day. They will have offered advice and warnings about what worked (in Chelsea’s case) and what did not (in Liverpool’s case). This is not the same Liverpool by any means, but the weight of expectation can be a heavy weight indeed. Chelsea will once again look to spoil their party on the back of those that were there the first time.