Jordan Henderson aiming to use “difficult” guard of honour as future motivation

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Due to Chelsea’s victory against Crystal Palace in their last game, we are the unfortunate side that must welcome the Blues onto the pitch for their first fixture as Premier League champions.

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Despite the bizarre – if not slightly farcical – recognition of Jose Mourinho’s men’s achievements, Jordan Henderson is hoping we can spoil their party, and in the process, keep our top four hopes alive.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the 24-year-old admitted that whilst it will be tough to welcome the opposition onto the Stamford Bridge pitch on Sunday, it will be important to make sure that we use it as motivation.

“It will be difficult doing that but you have to pay your respects,” he said.

“If that does happen, you have to remember the feeling that it is what we want to achieve and you have to bottle that and make sure next season we can have a really good go and use it as motivation and drive to push on.”

The vice-captain believes that we can beat Chelsea, and our efforts in the semi-final of the Capital One Cup – where we pushed the eventual winners very close – should prove that they are not a side that we should be unable to get the better of.

“In both legs I felt we performed well and probably deserved to go through but at the end of the day they went through and eventually won it.

“When we go back there we have to play the same way we did the last time we were there and if we do we have a good chance of getting something out of the game,” he added.

With four points separating us from Manchester United – who have lost their last three games – in the top four, it will be crucial to remember that the guard of honour is the least relevant part of the game.

Defeat may all but end our hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, but three points would pile the pressure on a side horrendously out of form.

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