Liverpool could be set for their first guard of honour against Chelsea this weekend after winning their second Premier League trophy.
The Reds moved level with rivals Manchester United on 20 English top-flight titles after smashing Tottenham 5-1 on Sunday.
Arne Slot claimed the domestic bragging rights in his first Premier League season with four matches still to go.
The Merseysiders have to wait until the final game of the campaign to lift the trophy, but have other ways to celebrate until then.
The most prevalent of those is the guard of honour, usually afforded to the new champions if they are crowned before the final fixture.
The sign of respect sees a team line up on parallel sides to applaud the Premier League winners as they walk out onto the pitch.
However, the tradition, while customary, is not officially compulsory, so it will be down to each team to decide whether to give one.
It is seen as a mark of respect between the two clubs, but opposing players are under no requirement to take part should they refuse.
Chelsea are the first club to face Slot’s side since they won the title, with a showdown between the two being held on Sunday.
Will Chelsea give Liverpool a guard of honour?
As of yet, it has not been confirmed by either team whether a guard of honour will be taking place at Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Chelsea were ironically the recipients of the first guard of honour when Man United provided one for them in 1955.
There is nothing in the Premier League rulebook that states Enzo Maresca‘s Blues are obligated to do the same for others.
Guard of honours in English football
1955 – Man United give Chelsea guard of honour for Blues’ first title win
1972 – Leeds for Arsenal’s First Division and FA Cup Double in 1971
1974 – QPR for Leeds’ second First Division title
1979 – Leeds for Liverpool’s third title in four years
1991 – Arsenal for Man United winning the First Division title
2003 – Everton for Man United
2005 – Man United for Chelsea’s first Premier League title
2007 – Chelsea for Man United
2011 – Blackpool for Man United
2013 – Arsenal for Man United…and Robin van Persie
2015 – Liverpool for Chelsea
2016 – Everton and Chelsea for Leicester
2017 – Watford and Sunderland for Chelsea
2018 – Swansea, West Ham, Huddersfield and Brighton for Man City
2020 – Man City, Aston Villa, Brighton, Burnley, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle for Liverpool
2021 – Newcastle and Everton for Man City
2023 – Chelsea for Man City
Despite this, the west Londoners have a history of offering guards of honour, having done so most recently for Man City in 2023.
Both Chelsea and Liverpool have also done it for the other, with the Reds staging it first in 2015, before the Blues followed suit five years later.
Virgil van Dijk and co then host Arsenal in their next fixture, who also gave them a guard of honour in 2020 at the Emirates.
Liverpool close out their season away at Brighton before hosting Crystal Palace at Anfield on the final day of the season.
Following that final encounter, Captain Van Dijk will lift the Premier League trophy.
It is their second during the Premier League era and a first in front of supporters since 1990.
