Date: Wednesday 31st
January 2024
Venue: Anfield
Kick-off: 20:15 GMT
Tonight, its back to the Premier League as we face the current league
leaders.
After clinching their place in the Carabao Cup final, Liverpool had a
5-2 win in the FA Cup over Norwich for the first game of their mourning period,
whilst we battered Middlesbrough 6-1 in the league cup semi-final before
playing out a 0-0 against Villa in FA Cup.
Liverpool, who sit five points
clear at the top of the table, are unbeaten in all competitions in 10 games, and
22 games unbeaten at Anfield in the league. Chelsea meanwhile have managed to
win 3 on the bounce and have climbed to the dizzy heights of ninth.
The last seven meetings between the
two clubs have ended as draws, if I thought we could get away with that
tonight, I’d take it.
I don’t though.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into
today’s game, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, says “They [Chelsea] play really good stuff, really
good team. A team in form, I think. Won majority of games recently,” he said. We
play them in first matchday (1-1 draw), we weren’t great but they were pretty
good. A point was all right. We have to do better but we are different now. They
had a lot of injuries but now they have a core group together. They have the
midfield they want together, the entire back-line other than Reece James. A
really good team, even if you can’t see it in the table yet. I expect them to
make big steps.”
Chelsea
manager Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, says “Every
time they play at Anfield, it’s going to be a party always, to celebrate, and
to give him [Klopp] all the love the fans feel for him, and I think it’s
deserved. But we need to go there and win the game. Sorry, but we don’t want to
be involved or be part of the celebration. We want to perform well and win the
game.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Liverpool, Mohamed Salah
(muscle), Joel Matip (knee), Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone), Thiago Alacantara
(hip) and Stefan Bajcetic (calf) miss out through injury. Alexis MacAllister is
expected to be available again.
For Chelsea, Wesley Fofana (knee), Trevoh Chalobah (thigh), Robert Sanchez (knee), Marc Cucurella (ankle), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Romeo Lavia (thigh) and Reece James (hamstring) all remain out. Nicolas Jackson is unlikely to feature but Christopher Nkunku and Malo Gusto are back in contention.
TEAMS
LIVERPOOL (Possible line-up): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Jota, Nunez, Diaz
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Petrovic; Disasi,
Silva, Badiashile, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling;
Broja
LAST SEASON
Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
(23rd Jan 2023)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
LIVERPOOL: WDDWWW
CHELSEA: LWLWWW
OTHER STUFF
- The last seven
meetings in all competitions has finished level.
- Liverpool have lost
just one of their last 11 Premier League games against Chelsea.
- Liverpool have won 19
points from losing positions this season.
- Liverpool are
unbeaten in 14 top-flight games.
- Liverpool’s last
nine Premier League goals have been scored in the second half.
- Chelsea are looking
for a fourth consecutive league win.
- Chelsea have won 18 Premier League games against teams starting the day
top of the table.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
