BY Alan Nixon
Robert Di Matteo has one game to prevent Chelsea missing out on the Champions League – and keep his job.
The Italian saw his understrength team crash 4-1 at Liverpool and lose even their outside hope of a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Now, it is beat Bayern Munich or bust in the European Cup Final a week on Saturday, with a finish of sixth now guaranteed after this abject display.
It is the worst final position the Stamford Bridge men have had since Roman Abramovich took power and the much-mocked Europa League now beckons after a selection gamble failed to pay off.
Di Matteo rested several players with the Champions League final in mind, but there was still enough experience out on the pitch to do so much better.
The interim chief said: “I thought by putting out a team that was fresh and energetic, physically and mentally, it would give us a better chance.
“But Liverpool were the better side. They were inspired – and scored goals at the right time as well.
“The final is a one-off game, it was always going to be high pressure. But we have to be objective. We have played 37 games and it’s not the points we lost [tonight] that made the difference.
“We have played every three days, we know how demanding it’s been for us.”
Liverpool claimed revenge of a sort for their FA Cup Final defeat just three days before, blitzing Chelsea with three quick goals on a horror night for John Terry in particular.
Luis Suarez’s mazy run forced Michael Essien into an own goal before Terry’s mistake gifted Jordan Henderson a second and Daniel Agger headed in the third.
The only consolation for Di Matteo was that it could have been worse – Stewart Downing hit the post with a penalty at the end of the first half.
Chelsea were still in danger of their heaviest Premier League defeat since a 5-1 thrashing at the Kop in Sepember 1996, a day when Di Matteo played in their midfield.
Ramires poked in a goal for Chelsea and did not even celebrate but Jonjo Shelvey smacked in from 25 yards as stand-in keeper Ross Turnbull was caught out.
Liverpool climbed to eighth and can now overtake neighbours Everton on the final weekend – a final chance at saving some face of their own.
The Reds also rested a few but hit the kind of form that has often eluded them in an unpredictable and often frustrating season.
Boss Kenny Dalglish said: “The supporters can go away from the last home game with a smile on their faces.
“The way they stayed behind speaks volumes for them, I can’t think of any other place where they would have done that and showed their appreciation like that.
“It was an excellent performance, it’s been seen a few times before here, but the result hasn’t been as good.”
Dalglish’s side were criticised for their lacklustre first hour in the FA Cup final at Wembley, but the Reds boss insisted he had no regrets about that or about their displays as a whole – particularly at home – this season.
“There’s not a feeling of ‘What if?’. It’s a feeling of ‘What a result. What a performance’. The last half-hour at Wembley and that performance there was a fantastic two hours of football.
“Everyone played their part. The two young boys in the middle of the pitch – Jordan Henderson and Jonjo Shelvey – were magnificent, big Andy (Carroll) was unplayable.
“Luis was fantastic for the (opening) goal but everyone played their part and the old boy at the back (Jamie Carragher) didn’t do too badly.”
