Cucurella plots changing of the guard at the top

MARC CUCURELLA will join Chelsea's guard of honour for Liverpool today plotting to overthrow Arne Slot's champions and plant a blue flag back at the Premier League summit.

- BY MIKE WALTERS

First stop on the Kop kings’ party tour is Stamford Bridge, where Cucurella is planning to pull the plug on the Slot machine.

The Spain left-back, a contender for Chelsea's player of the season, said: "Hopefully we can have this honour as well in the next few years."

Cucurella, 26, had a difficult first two seasons at the Bridge after becoming a £60million component in the club's £1.5billion trolley dash over three years, but he has won over the fans with six goals in all competitions this term. He will be envious of Liverpool's ceremonial accolade but he admitted: "It's clear, they won the league and they deserve it because they have been there all the season.

"If we need to do it [a guard of honour], we do it. But once the game starts, we go for our objectives - we try to fight with everything and fight for the three points.

"I don’t think I have ever done this before - this is the first time - but hopefully we can have this as well in the next few years.