Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina believes Chelsea are running on empty as they challenge for a historic Quadruple.
Chelsea beat the Liverpool 1-0 in their Champions League semi-final, but Reina believes he saw signs that they were suffering from fatigue the longer the game went on.
“In the second half, I tell you they were tired,” he told BBC Sport.
“We couldn’t move the ball as quick as we normally do, but they were tired.
“They have a tough game on Saturday and maybe for the second leg on Tuesday the legs will not be the freshest.”
Reina hopes the strain of competing on four fronts will hinder Chelsea, but he admits that Liverpool will have to offer more in attack if they are to take advantage of tiring legs.
“I hope the atmosphere at Anfield is going to be the most important ever,” said Reina.
“We are very confident when we play at home and we have to show Chelsea how important it is for us.
“We have to improve. We have to try to score. I don’t know which way but we have to find a solution to get a goal.
“We beat them in the league 2-0 earlier in the season and we can do it again.”
Liverpool skipper Gerrard praised Reina for his two saves in the first half.
“I think Chelsea edged the first half on chances and Pepe has made a couple of good saves,” said Gerrard.
“In the second, we dominated possession and pushed forward without creating clear-cut chances.
“But their keeper has pulled off a top save from me. I don’t think any other keeper in Europe would have got that because I was away celebrating.”
Gerrard also echoed believes the Anfield crowd can play a crucial role in teh second leg.
“I think Chelsea are happy with the result but I think they will show us a lot of respect in the second leg,” he added.
“They know this tie’s not over. They have witnessed the atmosphere at Anfield before and they know we are capable of beating them at as we showed in the Premiership this season.
“It’s half-time. We would have liked a better scoreline but we get on with it. We go into the game needing to score the first goal.
“We are confident we can hurt them a lot more at our place with the crowd behind us. If we raise the tempo the first 20 minutes will be really interesting.
“If any fans in the world can make the roof come down it is certainly ours.
“We are obviously aware that Chelsea have a slight advantage by keeping a clean sheet and getting their goal but if we score the first goal next week it will be game on.”
