There aren't many people more optimistic about Liverpool's fortunes than Steven Gerrard.
The former club captain never gave up hope during his time at Anfield, with a couple of very notable examples, so his latest comments will come as a blow to Reds fans.
Speaking after Swansea stunned Anfield to take all three points in the lunchtime kickoff, Gerrard implied that victory for Chelsea over Hull City tomorrow would all but end Liverpool's title hopes.
"It's going to be very difficult now," Gerrard told interviewer Jake Humphrey.
"They've left themselves a lot of work to do. A 10-point gap if Chelsea win tomorrow...yeah it's looking very difficult.
It was the first time Liverpool conceded three goals at home last season's Europa League quarter-final (photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Gerrard also acknowledged that Liverpool have often seen title hopes disappear thanks to results against teams they are expected to beat.
When they finished second in 2008/09 they were left cursing a February defeat to a Middlesbrough side that dropped out of the division come May, while the final nail in Liverpool's 2013/14 coffin came when they threw away a 3-0 lead against Crystal Palace.
"When we got close on a couple of occasions the damaging results were usually against lower teams," he noted.
"It's a big shock because before this game they'd have been seeing it as a three-point game".
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