Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has confirmed he will make several changes for Sunday's visit to Chelsea after his side were crowned Premier League champions last weekend.
The Reds made light work of Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield last Sunday to secure a second Premier League title triumph in five years, and a first in front of supporters since 1990.
But with a first-place finish already assured, it means Liverpool's final four games of the season - starting at Stamford Bridge on Sunday - count for very little other than pride.
Chelsea, meanwhile, still have plenty to play for both domestically and in the UEFA Conference League. The Blues know that if they win their final four games of the Premier League campaign, then they will finish in the top five and secure Champions League qualification for the first time since May 2022.
Slot, on the other hand, has admitted that he already has his eye on next season and will use this weekend's fixture to hand some of his players a well-deserved rest after a relentless season at Anfield.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, the Dutchman said: “It’s the end of the season, but we also have to look at this as the start of next season already.
“There will be a certain rotation in the upcoming games. My lineups will be different towards the one we’ve had mostly during the last 10 months. We’re not gonna change everyone but there will be a few players that come into the team.
“That’s not to say that we’re going to lose them. We have a lot of trust in the players we are going to play now. I think some of them deserved to play already earlier this season, because they trained so well and they are good enough to play for this club, but I mainly chose the same players.
“This is also a moment to see where they are, also looking towards next season, maybe a bit already, but definitely also because they deserve to play.”
Sunday, then, could see Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch named on the bench for the first time in the league this season, with the trio having started every game since August's 2-0 win at Ipswich Town.
On the flip side, Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo could be handed their first Premier League starts under Slot after a difficult season waiting in the wings at Anfield.
Regardless of who Slot selects in his starting XI at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, Enzo Maresca knows that this will be the perfect opportunity for the Blues to record a first win over the Reds since March 2021.
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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