LFC v Crystal Palace: Anfield welcomes back fans in last-game CL decider

At the start of the season, Champions Liverpool would no doubt have found it strange that CL qualification would hinge on the final league game.

As February gave way to March, this situation looked impossible from a completely different point of view.

From being top at Christmas, LFC's form colllapsed.  With ten games remaining of the season, the reds found themselves 10 points off 4th and staring at the strong possibilty of missing out on any European football.

But Liverpool clawed themselves back into contention and despite the narrative of the season are now just 5 points away from 2nd place.  Injuries have ravaged the reds title defence this season, and while freak injuries can be partly blamed the reds were also exposed in some key positions.  Fabinho's restoration to midfield has not only improved results, but the play of new signing Thiago Alcantara.

The reds will wear their brand new home kit, released earlier this week, for today's fixture.

A Liverpool win should see them into the Champions League next season.  Chelsea are a point ahead but travel to Aston Villa, Leicester are a goal difference of 4 worse off than the reds and are at home to Spurs - the London club are trying to secure Europa League football in what might by Harry Kane's last outing for them.

Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson will manage his final game in top flight management with 10,000 fans returning to Anfield for a season that, without them, has been missing it's soul.

Both Jordan Henderson and Diogo Jota return to the matchday squad.  Gini Wijnaldum is expected to depart this summer and will likely be involved in his final LFC game - a spell that helped Liverpool recapture the European Cup and the English title in successive years.

Enjoy the game and whatever the outcome, lets hope the upcoming season is a return to more normality.

LFC: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Rhys Williams, Phillips, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Thiago, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Adrian, Milner, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Jota, Tsimikas, Shaqiri, N. Williams.

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