Liverpool v Chelsea: Health scare forces Jose Mourinho into quarantine to protect Chelsea players ahead of Anfield clash

The news is the latest setback in the club's preparations for the game in which they will play a weakened team following a spate of recent injuries

What a winker: There is no nobility in Jose Mourinho’s tiresome posturing (PA)

Jose Mourinho was at the centre of a health scare last night as the Chelsea manager put himself into quarantine to avoid passing on an illness to his players ahead of today's top-of-the table clash at Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Mourinho not only travelled to the game separately from the squad but on arriving in Liverpool one hour ahead of them went straight to his hotel room.

It is unclear what is wrong with Mourinho; all Chelsea would say was that he had travelled to Liverpool separately "due to feeling unwell and not wanting to pass it on to the players".

Follow all of the action with our live blog here

The news is the latest setback in Chelsea's preparations for the game in which they will play a weakened team following a spate of recent injuries.

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers believes that Steven Gerrard's decision to forgo "money and medals" and turn down three approaches from Mourinho will be finally vindicated if Liverpool win the Premier League.

Rodgers said that Gerrard was "being true to his values" by remaining on Merseyside and rejecting Mourinho twice when he wanted the England player to move to Chelsea and once to Real Madrid, when Mourinho told Gerrard he would win nothing at Liverpool.

"If Steven Gerrard wanted money and trophies, he could very easily have walked out of here," said Rodgers. "But knowing the man he is more than that. If Steven wins the Premier League with Liverpool, he knows he has done it true to his values and those of his club. For Steven it is all about Liverpool. For others it will be: 'Let's get the trophies' or 'Let's get the money'. But you could be the most decorated player and still not be happy. I have seen some poor players win the Champions' League and bad ones win trophies."