Liverpool-Chelsea: Win or Lose, the Answer Is an Easy One for Me

The fast approaching Liverpool-Chelsea game is being labelled as some sort of difficult conundrum for Liverpool supporters to contemplate. Lose and the very slim chance of claiming fourth spot is gone. Win and Man United probably claim their 19th league title.

For me there is no difficult conundrum to consider.

Finishing outside of the Champions League qualification places would be a happy medium for a percentage of Kopites, hoping failure to feature in next season's top level competition pushes Rafael Benitez out of Anfield and into the welcoming arms of Juventus or Real Madrid.

The added bonus to forcing out the Spaniard would be contributing to Man United not winning a record breaking fourth league title on the bounce, as they subsequently move one ahead of Liverpool's 18 league titles.

But what does that really matter?

United don't need to reach a 19th title to prove they are the best team in the country; they have been that for a great many years already. 

Statistically the best team in England is still Liverpool, but dominance and constant triumphs were over 20 years ago, so worrying about meaningless numbers and a trophy count is pointless when the future success of the club is much more important.

Even if United do take home another league title, they still need three more trophies to move ahead of Liverpool and become the country's most successful club.

Forget jealous rivalry and historically driven pomp because nothing else is required from the Chelsea game apart from a win. Even if the hope of finishing fourth is distinguished this weekend, Liverpool still have the possibility of being overtaken by Everton.

Which means no European football of any kind next season.

With a sustained run in next year's Europa League and the £20 million sponsorship income from Standard Chartered set to begin this summer, the drop in revenue from missing out on fourth place will not be as damaging to progressing the quality of the first team.

There is no guarantee new investors will ride in this summer and save the club from a disastrous tenure under Hicks and Gillette, so we need every single bit of money available just to keep up with other better funded clubs battling it out for the title.

Liverpool, and Benitez in particular, need to fight until the very end to ensure European football next year.

That is why there is no conundrum for me to consider as a Liverpool supporter. When finishing ahead of Spurs, City, and Villa is still a possibility and securing a top seven finish is paramount to progression, all that matters on Sunday against Chelsea is three points.

Even if it means United win another league title and we have to endure another season of boasting.