Tony: Chelsea don't deserve to be in Europe because they aren't good enough. The management of the club should come under massive scrutiny. They've had good managers and wouldn't listen to them.

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.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

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.

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

Liverpool

This is nice.

Mo Salah is not involved at all today but the Liverpool forward is currently going round the crowd signing autographs and posing for selfies.

Not long now until he leaves this part of the world for good.

Image source, Reuters

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.

Chelsea

It's mad to think Chelsea have swept aside European champions Paris St-Germain and Barcelona inside the last 12 months.

Their current Premier League form: L L L L L L.

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.

Aadam Patel
Football Reporter at Anfield

Image source, Getty Images

“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.

Football Focus is about to start and this week's episode features Arsenal's title-chasing midfielder Declan Rice, who meets F1 world champion Lando Norris.

Alex Scott, Martin Keown and Shay Given discuss the title races in both England and Scotland - and reflect on Manchester City winning the WSL.

Watch from 12:00 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Liverpool

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot, speaking to TNT Sports on needing four points to officially secure Champions League football: "We have a big opportunity today because there are only three games left to get the four points. We have to take every opportunity there is - this is the first one and it is at home.

"We have to be really good off the ball because we know Chelsea are really good on the ball. They can play through you because of the quality of the players they have. That will be the way not to concede. But if we want to win the game, as we want to, we need to be much more of an offensive threat from open play than we were against Manchester United. We have to do better in that area."

On handing Rio Ngumoha a spot in the starting XI: "He has played a lot in the last three or four months and he has done really well, so it is very nice to have him. We are missing a lot of attacking threat today, but the good thing is Rio [Ngumoha], Cody [Gakpo] and Jeremie [Frimpong] are fit."

On Florian Wirtz's omission from the squad: "He tried everything to be in it, but he has a stomach infection which meant he wasn't feeling well during the week. He tried to train earlier this week but things got worse. He wasn't able to train yesterday and he wasn't available to play today."

Chelsea

Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, speaking to Sky Sports, about what has gone wrong at Stamford Bridge: "You need a manager who is going to stay there for years. All the players need to know is that manager is the boss and can make the decisions that are football related.

"You have to give top managers the keys and let them drive the show. When the players see somebody standing in the dressing room substantial, they will follow."

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Chapman is joined by three former England players from 12:00 BST for 5 Live Sport.

Steph Houghton, Rob Green and Conor Coady will preview this weekend's action, plus updates from Liverpool-Chelsea.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson joins Ian Dennis for full commentary of Sunderland-Manchester United at 15:00 then it's down to Etihad Stadium where Manchester City host Brentford.

Alistair Bruce-Ball is with ex-City midfielder Michael Brown for that one.

You can also listen to Fulham against Bournemouth at 15:00 over on 5 Sports Extra. In the commentary box at Craven Cottage is John Acres and ex-Fulham defender Kit Symons.

Chelsea

Chelsea interim head coach Calum McFarlane, speaking to TNT Sports, on needing a final push to secure European football: "We need to improve our performance from the Nottingham Forest game, especially around setbacks, resilience and ability to react to moments that don't go our way. Those are the main things I'm looking for.

"We have reviewed the game plus we have been honest and open with each other. It is never personal, but we have highlighted areas in which we need to improve."

On lacking attacking options in his squad: "There's nothing we can do about it. We have players carrying injuries, so we've had to be creative in how we've lined the team up to make sure we have enough threat."

On Filip Jorgensen starting in goal: "I've got massive faith in him. Everyone talks about the mistake in the Paris St-Germain game, but he was amazing in the game before that against Aston Villa which we won 4-1. He has a lot of talent and we have a lot of trust in him."

On Levi Colwill making his first start of the season: "I'm delighted to have him back. It has been a long road for him. He has been unbelievable and I'm really happy that he's back and starting a Premier League game. He has everything you need in a centre-back, so we are delighted to have him back."

Imagine spending £200m-plus on three players - and none are fit to start.