Liverpool vs. Chelsea Could Be Moved to Aid Blues' Champions League Charge

Chelsea's top-of-the-table clash with Liverpool later this month could be moved to aid the Blues' Champions League campaign.

The West London outfit made it through to the last four of Europe's elite club competition on Tuesday, winning 2-0 at Stamford Bridge after a 3-1 first-leg loss, to oust Paris Saint-Germain on the away-goals rule. 

The Premier League has confirmed it will move one of Chelsea's games this month to avoid them having to play twice in three days, as reported by Matt Barlow in the Daily Mail:

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The Premier League insist they must be fair to all 20 clubs and not help only those involved in Europe but they have confirmed Chelsea will not be asked to play on a Sunday before a Champions League semi-final game on a Tuesday. 

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Friday's Champions League draw will confirm which of Chelsea's semi-final legs will be played on a Tuesday rather than a Wednesday.

Whichever of Chelsea's two Sunday Premier League games scheduled later this month precedes this leg, home against Sunderland on April 20 and away to Liverpool on April 27, will then be moved. 

This will be something of a comfort for manager Jose Mourinho, who complained last month that Premier League teams in Europe are hamstrung by domestic fixture lists.

As noted in Barlow's article, the Portuguese complained: "Maybe it does not matter what English clubs do in Europe."

Kirsty Wigglesworth

Chelsea currently sit second in the Premier League, two points behind Liverpool, with Manchester City a further two points back but with two games in hand.

If Chelsea are to finish the season as league champions, the Liverpool fixture is a must-win game for Mourinho's side, with the Reds looking in top form having won nine league games in a row and without European distraction.

With their semi-final legs coming either side of the clash, Mourinho will have to be diligent with his team selection for each fixture if they want to stay in the race on both fronts.  

However, The Times' Tony Evans believes having two huge Champions League fixtures either side of their clash with the Reds could be a boost for Chelsea:

Certainly, Chelsea's thrilling win over PSG in the week should be enough to galvanise them to victory over Swansea this Sunday to keep their title ambitions alive.