Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud reveals the reason behind David Luiz goal celebration against Liverpool

Olivier Giroud experienced both success and failure in late attempts to gatecrash the Premier League top four when he was with Arsenal, so Chelsea’s position at the moment is nothing new to him. His goal beat Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday was enough to beat Liverpool and keep the Blues’ hopes alive, even if they still need snookers to claim a Champions League place – either a Tottenham collapse at home to Newcastle or Leicester or a surprise draw or win for Brighton at Anfield next weekend.

But at least Chelsea are doing their utmost to unnerve their rivals, and momentum is with them after four successive league victories, a run that began with Giroud coming off the bench to score twice as Chelsea won 3-2 at Southampton after being 2-0 down and apparently out of contention.

“It’s going well, I feel very good,” the France striker said. “Everything was not perfect [against Liverpool] and it was not my best game, honestly, but the main thing was the three points.

“I have received a really warm welcome at the club from when I first arrived and I felt like I was at home since I came here, like I’ve been here a few years, so for me it was very important. I think when you give everything on the pitch people see that and even more when you have the opportunity to be efficient and to bring a plus to the team. I think it’s a nice come back (from the fans).”

Chelsea must now beat Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge and Newcastle United at St James' Park and hope for the best elsewhere. “I hope I can be the lucky charm for the Champions League race in the final sprint,” Giroud said. “We don’t have this situation in our hands, but I have experience about these kind of end-of-season situations. We need to give everything and wait for the other results. I’m confident because if we play with that kind of mentality we can have nice things. [Tottenham] lost this weekend, so it gives us a bit more energy and hope, so that’s why we want to fight to the end.”

Giroud glanced home a header against Liverpool from a cross by Victor Moses before running to the bench to celebrate with injured teammate David Luiz “I’m very happy to help the team,” he said. “I finished a good job off. Vic and I have a good understanding and I know what he is going to do. He did well and I just tried to put the ball into the net and I am happy for this.”

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“I know it’s difficult for [Luiz] because he is coming back from injury and it’s not easy when you see the boys training and you are having treatment and everything. He’s a good friend of mine and I told him I would go to see him at the FA Cup semi-final, but he didn’t come down to me so I told him this time it’s better for me to run to him. He’s a good friend of mine and that’s it.”

There was some encouragement for Giroud from Chris Hughton, the Brighton manager, who promised that his team would not be mentally on the beach when they face Liverpool on Sunday even though they have already assured themselves of Premier League safety after beating Manchester United last Friday and face another potentially challenging game against Manchester City at the Eitihad on Wednesday.

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“It’s not a promise to other teams, it’s a promise to our supporters and to everyone at this club that our season is not over,” Hughton said. “We have two very difficult games, but we will take a big support and many of them will not have been to these grounds before.

“We owe it to the club, that’s our biggest responsibility, but we also know the responsibility to other teams as well. That’s a respect you have to have for the division, to try our best in every game, whatever division you are playing in. And there won’t be anybody who doesn’t want to play and doesn’t want to try to play well in these games.”