Gerrard's Slip was City's Profit Last Season- Mourinho

ENGLAND

Chelsea squad in training

Jose Mourinho turned his mind games firmly on Steven Gerrard on Friday as the Chelsea manager prepared to renew hostilities with Liverpool.

Mourinho advised Brendan Rodgers and his team against focusing on their calamitous end to last season — but not before reminding Gerrard of the enormity of his slip.

‘It gave the title to Man City, simple as that,’ said Mourinho. ‘Liverpool, with a point in that match, would have been champions. Without it, they lost the title. It meant nothing to us. After our defeat against Sunderland, that match meant professional pride. We were not in the race.’ 

Gerrard gifted Demba Ba the goal which shattered his best and, perhaps, final chance of winning the title. It was a seismic moment in Barclays Premier League history and in the football life of the Liverpool captain.

Gerrard in anguish after his infamous slip against Chelsea ended their surge towards the EPL title last season

‘It gave the title to Man City, simple as that. Liverpool, with a point in that atch, would have been champions. Without it, they lost the title'

Having beaten Manchester City a fortnight earlier, the Merseysiders were in control of their destiny. After losing to Chelsea, they surrendered a three-goal lead in a draw at Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of their campaign and finished two points behind City.

‘They don’t want to think about last season for the bad memories,’ said Mourinho.

‘I’d go back and think about the good memories, the fantastic matches they had, the victories and all the good things.’

Chelsea drew inspiration, seven months ago, from the coronation atmosphere they detected upon arrival in Liverpool. Mourinho was already fuming because his efforts to move the game from Sunday to Saturday to aid preparations for Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final had been ignored.

He said last month that he felt his team had been cast as ‘clowns in the circus’ and delighted in plotting victory while resting many first-teamers for the tie against Atletico Madrid. 

‘We did not participate in the situation some people wanted us to participate in,’ said Mourinho. ‘Liverpool tried to win the game. Obviously, feeling that Chelsea were in a weakened situation, they had everything in their hands.’

Rodgers criticised Mourinho’s defensive tactics and Luis Suarez claimed in his book this week that one Chelsea player admitted he was ashamed to be time-wasting but had no choice.

Mourinho reacted with scorn on Friday. ‘Another book,’ he said, adding that he might publish a picture book of memories but ‘not a book to tell s*** and criticise people who belong to my career’.

The game relit a fierce rivalry which began a decade before when Mourinho and Rafa Benitez were in charge and it will fuel the passion inside Anfield at lunchtime on Saturday. 

‘It’s a fantastic atmosphere and I enjoy playing there,’ said Mourinho. ‘But, I have to say, some people feel the atmosphere in a negative way. That’s not my case.

Mourinho beams a trademark smile at the press conference ahead of Liverpool clash

‘I don’t play and I don’t think it affects my players’ performances, but in the past we have examples of it affecting performances: goals that are not goals, penalties given that are not penalties.’ Anthony Taylor is the referee on Saturday..

Rodgers prepared to face the Premier League leaders by resting many first-team regulars, including Gerrard, against Real Madrid on Tuesday. Liverpool have stumbled this season and Chelsea are stronger, unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions and with Diego Costa fit to start. 

Costa has been left out of the Spain squad to concentrate on his fitness and will be given a few days’ rest after Saturday’s game, before returning to treatment on nagging hamstring and pelvic problems.

‘Liverpool know if they lose they are 15 points behind,’ said Mourinho. ‘If they are 15 points behind in November it’s not over, but it’s difficult. If they win, nine points behind is different to 15. It’s a very good motivation for them.’

Gerrard admitted in the summer that the impact of losing the title had led to the worst three months of his professional life but he has moved on and Rodgers says lesser characters would have been broken by what happened when he slipped over.

‘Steven has the inner strength that the very, very best players have,’ said Rodgers. ‘You have to have that to perform at the level he has for 15 years at one of the top clubs where the scrutiny is on you week in, week out.

‘He has performed at a level that gets him over disappointments, that allows him to keep going and it is his character that defines him above even his talent.

‘He has been remarkable for this club throughout his career and will continue to be. I think it probably would have (broken weaker characters).

‘Steven is a big character and I know from seeing him work every day that he’s got over it. It’s something you might think a bit more about when you finish or retire but he and I haven’t had time to dwell on what happened.’

It has been said this week that Liverpool are still feeling the repercussions of losing to Chelsea but Rodgers doesn’t believe that. What’s more, he doesn’t even feel that 2-0 defeat was the defining game of the run-in. The most disappointing experience, he says, was drawing at Crystal Palace.

‘It halted us, absolutely,’ said Rodgers.