Peter Crouch and Rio Ferdinand brand Premier League guard of honour tradition as 'awkward' and 'EMBARRASSING' ahead of Liverpool's trip to Chelsea
Peter Crouch and Rio Ferdinand have both claimed they are not fans of giving a guard of honour to new champions as Liverpool prepare to receive one this weekend.
The Reds clinched the Premier League title with four game remaining last week after thrashing Tottenham 5-1 at Anfield.
A long-standing Premier League tradition sees opposing players honour the new champions by applauding them before each game.
However, former Liverpool striker Crouch says he doesn't understand the gesture and that it's "embarrassing"'.
'I don't like it. Maybe it shows respect but I just don't get it. It's embarrassing for the team that comes out and it's entirely embarrassing for the team that claps them on the field. It's not for me', Crouch said.
Six-time Premier League champion Ferdinand agreed, saying: 'I didn't like it. I've been fortunate to receive the guard of honour and be on the receiving end of it.
'Both are quite awkward. Crouchy's exactly right.'
Liverpool will travel to Chelsea in their first match as new champions on Sunday before facing Arsenal, Brighton and Crystal Palace.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca has insisted the Reds 'deserve' a guard of honour, with the west London club having also performed the gesture in 2020.
'Yes. It's tradition. We have to do that, and we are going to do that. They won the Premier League, so they deserve it,' Maresca said.
He added added: 'In terms of the gap (between Chelsea and Liverpool), it is there, you can see this clearly. My feeling is we are (moving) in the right direction and hopefully this gap can be smaller and smaller and smaller.
'The difference is they have been consistent compared to us. For part of the season, we were very good, then we lost some games.
'This has probably been the main reason why. And also in terms of experienced players that know how to win games and these kinds of things, I think they have something more compared to us.'
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