Everything You Need to Know About Liverpool's Premier League Trophy Presentation

Liverpool will receive the Premier League trophy at Anfield on Wednesday night after facing Chelsea in the final home game of the season, ending a 30-year wait to get their hands on a league trophy.


The Reds sealed the title earlier this month – bizarrely both the earliest (in term of games to spare) and latest (in terms of calendar date) in English football history – and fans, players and staff alike have been desperate for this moment to come when it all becomes even more real.


Here’s everything you need to know about the trophy presentation.



Will Jordan Henderson Lift the Premier League Trophy?


A knee injury has ruled Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson out of the rest of the season, but that will not stop the Reds skipper from lifting the Premier League trophy.


Injury means Jordan Henderson won't play in the game

Despite the fact he won’t be on the pitch against Chelsea, it has already been confirmed by Klopp that he will still be the player to receive the trophy.


“It was an awful moment when Hendo went down,” the Liverpool boss said earlier this month. “In Germany we would say he's an animal - he fights with everything. Everyone felt for him. He deserves to lift the trophy and he will lift the trophy.”


The choice for Henderson is whether he dares to still wear full kit while he does it.



Where & How Will Liverpool Be Presented With the Premier League Trophy?


Ordinarily, the Premier League champions would be presented with the trophy on a specially constructed podium in the centre of the pitch. But these are far from ordinary times.


Instead, a podium has been built into the Kop for the players to receive the trophy, with seats being removed from the iconic stand where fans would usually have been. Around the podium will be banners from supporter groups covering the remaining seats.


Heading into the stand to collect the trophy might give the occasion something of a cup final feel, as players would usually have to climb the steps to the Royal Box at Wembley, for example.


Players will be asked to initially socially distance from each as they gather on the podium but will then be allowed to come together once Henderson lifts the trophy.


Because healthy and safety concerns, Henderson won't actually be presented with the trophy as such and is instead expected to be given the signal to pick it up from a plinth.



What Role Will Kenny Dalglish Have?


Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, the last Reds manager to guide the club to a league title back in 1990, will be part of the presentation team.


The 69-year-old, who went on to win the Premier League as Blackburn boss, will be handing out medals to Liverpool players. However, it has been reported that due to COVID concessions being included in the ceremony he won’t actually hang the medals around necks as might normally be the case and will instead simply hand them over to each player.



What Music Have Liverpool Picked?


Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish will pass out medals to players

Liverpool players are believed to have been heavily involved in organising the celebrations. As part of that, they have specifically chosen the Coldplay song A Sky Full of Stars to be played.



How Much Have Liverpool Paid for Fireworks?


Fireworks are part of any title celebration and social media has been awash with rumours this week that Liverpool have spent £1m on their planned pyrotechnics display. That is not the case.


Popular Liverpool reporter James Pearce has explained that the cost of such celebration fireworks are usually split between the club, Premier League and broadcasters. It is not clear what the overall cost has been, but Liverpool have only spent an estimated £40,000.



Will Players’ Families Be Allowed to Attend?


The short answer is no.


The longer answer relayed by The Athletic is that Liverpool asked permission for an additional 200 people to be allowed inside Anfield, but Liverpool City Council’s Grounds Safety Advisory Group couldn’t agree to it and the request was denied.


Attendance at Anfield will remain limited to just 300 people

Changing the terms of safety certificate to increase the permitted capacity from 300 to 500 wasn’t possible in the absence of any written permission from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It could still be possible for families to attend if Liverpool obtain that paperwork and another advisory group meeting is quickly arranged, but the chances are very slim in the time-frame.


Liverpool had planned for families and other Liverpool staff, all of whom would have temperature checked on arrival and asked to fill in forms, from Anfield’s executive boxes.



Merseyside Police Warn Fans to Stay at Home


Fans congregated outside Anfield and in the city centre in their thousands for two nights in a row to celebrate when the title was mathematically sealed, even resulting in a fire starting at the iconic Liver Building. And with coronavirus still an active threat to lives, Merseyside Police have urged supporters to stay at home and not be tempted to head out this time.


Thousands of fans ignored social distancing to celebrate title win

“This is such an important night for all Liverpool fans in the city and worldwide, with the Premier League trophy to be lifted inside the stadium. The club and TV companies have made careful preparations to ensure that millions of people can enjoy these special moments on screen, in the comfort of their homes,” Assistant Chief Constable Natalie Perischine said in a statement.


“On this occasion, the best seat in the house is in your living room. There is simply no benefit to going to the ground and we as a city cannot afford for people to gather in large numbers.


“We are all still in unprecedented times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the last thing anyone wants is a resurgence of cases in Merseyside, with every life lost a tragedy. The last thing anyone wants is for all Merseyside’s patience and selflessness to unravel and for lockdown measures to be reintroduced, as we have seen in other areas."


Liverpool chief executive officer Peter Moore has also sought to quash false rumours that there will be things going on for fans outside the stadium.


“The Premier League trophy presentation will be happening inside the stadium and, contrary to reports, nothing is happening outside of the stadium,” Moore said as part of the same joint statement. “When the time is right, we will all come together to celebrate but, for now, we are asking fans to keep themselves and their families safe by celebrating at home.”



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Source : 90min