23 Apr 2014

Blues may field weakened team vs Reds

11:49 am on 23 April 2014

Chelsea football manager Jose Mourinho is tempted to field a weakened team in their top of the table Premier League game at Liverpool on Monday, following Wednesday's scoreless draw at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.

With his second-placed side five points adrift of leaders Liverpool with only three games left, Mourinho is clearly prioritising next week's Champions League semi-final second leg at home to Atletico over their slim Premier League title hopes.

The Portuguese, however, said he would speak to the hierarchy at Chelsea before making a final decision on the team he would field at Anfield on Monday.

He says Chelsea have already tried and failed to get the Premier League to switch the Liverpool game to Friday or Saturday, UK time, in order to give his team more time to prepare for the second leg against Atletico.

Chelsea will be without midfielders Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel for the second leg against Atletico after they were booked in the Madrid game.