Brendan Rodgers: 'Pressure remains on Chelsea'

Brendan Rodgers has insisted that Chelsea are the team under pressure when they visit Anfield, despite Liverpool being Premier League title favourites.

The Reds are five points clear of Jose Mourinho's second-place side ahead of their meeting on Merseyside, as they go chasing a first championship in 24 years.

However, Rodgers has claimed that pre-season expectations and the respective transfer activity of each club means that it is his former mentor at Stamford Bridge who should be feeling the heat on Sunday.

"Everyone talks about pressure but that is Manchester City or Chelsea - when you spend that sort of money and expect to win the league," Rodgers told reporters.

"I don't think there is pressure on ourselves, only what we have from within. Look at Tottenham ... [when] you spend over £100m you'd expect to be challenging for the league. People talk about pressure but it's absolutely wonderful."

Chelsea's net spend on players over the past five seasons is £282m compared to Liverpool's £89m, but Tottenham Hotspur have only spent £3.85m more than what they have recouped during that period.