LIVERPOOL MIDFIELDER Adam Lallana wants to use the frustration of having to give Chelsea a guard of honour to spur a late push for a spot in next season’s Champions League.
The Blues secured the Premier League title with three games to play, with Lallana and his team-mates set to stand and applaud their opponents onto the Stamford Bridge pitch on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers’s men have drawn 0-0 with West Brom and lost to Hull City in recent weeks to leave themselves four points behind fourth place despite Manchester United’s run of losses, but the ex-Southampton star is desperate to “spoil the party” in London to give his side a chance of Champions League football.
“We have to use it as motivation,” Lallana told the Liverpool Echo of the guard of honour. “Chelsea deserve to be champions. The table doesn’t lie. They have been the best team throughout the season. You have to respect that, whether you like it or not.
“All I know is we want to go there and spoil the party. We’re looking to go there and cause an upset and put a dent in their celebrations.
“We all knew that last week was a big week and it was disappointing to only get four points out of the games against West Brom, Hull and QPR.
“We would have been right on their toes, if not ahead of Manchester United, if we had performed better but we still have a chance and everyone believes fourth place is still possible.
“We have to concentrate on ourselves and look to take maximum points from our three remaining matches.”
Originally published at 0715
Not bad going with a second string side on the field.