Boss: I was at Anfield on that night in 2005

However, such a scenario awaits the Northern Irishman this afternoon as he prepares to lock horns with his old mentor Jose Mourinho and former club Chelsea, with an army of Kopites at his side.

Rodgers was there nine years ago to see Luis Garcia dart through a thicket of blue shirts in front of the Kop and prod Liverpool ahead after four minutes in the Champions League semi-final second leg.

He had stood gobsmacked as the Kop slowly but surely ratcheted up the decibel levels before providing the resplendent back-drop to a heart-stopping rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

Back then, Rodgers was head youth team coach at the Blues' Academy set-up - but today, he has the chance to steer Liverpool eight points clear at the Barclays Premier League summit.

He told the Liverpool Echo: "When Liverpool play Chelsea, the Champions League semi-final at Anfield in 2005 is always a topic of conversation.

"I was at the game that night and the atmosphere was remarkable. At the time the phrase they talked about was 'the power of Anfield'. That's something which is alive and kicking at this moment in time.

"Anyone looking at Anfield and looking at this team, and the collaboration between both the players and the supporters, they will see that it's a real force they have to deal with.

"We are hoping we can continue to perform at a level which makes the supporters proud and that we continue to win games."

"Throughout the world, I think everyone is seeing that Liverpool is a giant that has been woken up. In these last few months we have felt the sheer scale of this club."

Rodgers has coaxed fantastic form from his side throughout the season and their consistency since the start of the year has sparked a stunning surge to the top of the pile with three games remaining.

Everton were dismantled 4-0 at Anfield in late January and then, following a sobering 1-1 draw away to West Bromwich Albion, Rodgers' men embarked on an unforgettable, mazy run of victories, which stands at 11 and counting.

Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have all been conquered convincingly during that time as the Reds have entertained many a neutral with their free-flowing style of play.

"The run is a great demonstration of how good the players have been in their focus and their performance level," said Rodgers.

"In the 11 games up until now we've shown every aspect of what's good about our game. We've shown some scintillating football, speed of movement, creation of goal scoring chances and resilience as well.

"It's a remarkable achievement considering the level of competition. This is a league full of some of the top players in the world, not just English or British players.

"To do that shows the level the players have been at in their work on a daily basis as well as the games. We know that in the remaining games we will need to continue with that."