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CHELSEA v Liverpool: FA Cup Preview

Date: Tuesday 3rd March 2020

Venue: Stamford Bridge

Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Defeat to Bayern in the Champions League left us a bit battered and the bruising still showed against Bournemouth at the weekend in a game that could have been worse but should have been better.

We had a horribly lethargic start to the game, picked ourselves up after Alonso put us ahead but the story of our season repeated itself yet again with the predictable failure to widen the 1-goal margin. So, almost as soon as Bournemouth equalised, like a rabbit in headlights, we were running around in panic, without any direction until they hit us again. We showed some rare character to battle back for the draw at the weekend and we’ll need a lot more of that character tonight, against what will be a pretty strong Liverpool side.

Klopp has a tendency to field weakened sides in domestic cups and this season has been no exception. After losing in the Champions League and experiencing their first Premier League defeat of the campaign though, the Liverpool manager will almost certainly break with that tradition against us tonight.

Unfortunately for us, this isn’t a Liverpool side familiar with losing this season.

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into tonight’s game, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, says “It’s Liverpool, our fans are coming to see us in the FA Cup trying to overturn the best team in the land.  It doesn’t mean I might not change a couple of people, I think there might be something for freshness of legs or a couple of little different options, but I won’t pick a team casually where I’m giving minutes. I’m treating it with the care I would any Premier League game.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp meanwhile, says “Chelsea are a football-playing side, and from a passing point of view one of the top, top, top sides. We need to find a solution to that. It will be a different challenge.  We are Liverpool, we are always under pressure and we are always expected to deliver. If Chelsea make changes, I don’t know if they will, it will still be a very experienced team. It’s the last 16 of the FA Cup and we want to go through. That’s the plan.”

 
SQUAD NEWS

For Chelsea, van Ginkel (ACL), Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi (hamstring) and N’Golo Kante remain out. Tammy Abraham (ankle) is also sidelined again and Andreas Christensen is rated doubtful.  Ruben Loftus-Cheek played in the development squad last night, so that’s him missing as well.

For Liverpool, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri and Nathaniel Clyde are all absentees but Joe Gomez and James Milner both available and after the defeat to Watford in the PL, Klopp will undoubtedly field a much stronger XI than he has in the competition so far.

TEAMS

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Kepa; James, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta; Barkley, Jorginho, Alonso; Willian, Mount; Giroud

LIVERPOOL (Possible line-up): Adrian; N Williams, Matip, Lovren, Robertson; Milner, Fabinho, Jones; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Origi

LAST MEETING

Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool (22nd September 2019)

CURRENT FORM (ALL)

CHELSEA: WDLWLD

LIVERPOOL: WWWLWL

OTHER STUFF

  • This is the third meeting this season.
  • Liverpool won 2-1 in the league at Stamford Bridge in September, and beat us in the Uefa Super Cup on penalties in Istanbul in August
  • This is the first FA Cup meeting between the clubs since the 2012 final, which Chelsea won 2-1.
  • Chelsea have beaten Liverpool in five of the past seven FA Cup meetings.
  • Chelsea have won the FA Cup six times this century.
  • This is the fifth straight season Chelsea have reached the FA Cup fifth round.
  • Chelsea have lost only one of their past 12 FA Cup ties.
  • Chelsea have been beaten in just one of 12 home FA Cup fixtures.
  • Chelsea have kept clean sheets in five of their past six FA Cup ties at Stamford Bridge.
  • Liverpool have lost two of their last three matches in all competitions.
  • Liverpool have reached the quarter-finals only twice since they last won the FA Cup since 2006.
  • Liverpool have won just one of their past six FA Cup away matches (D2, L3).

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