Date: Saturday 4th
October 2025
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 17:30 BST
After
two straight Premier League slip-ups, who better to face than Liverpool, eh?
We
have more injuries that A&E on a Friday night and resemble a Sunday League
team who only exchanged names over a pint on the Saturday night, and we’re up
against the PL champions who spent the summer turning their attack into an aspiring
Avengers sequel. Meanwhile, our sporting directors are still reading the “How
Not to Do Transfers” handbook.
Our
style of play? Well, if you enjoy backwards and sideways passes punctuated by
the occasional shuffle, you’re in for a treat. Sprints down the pitch are as
rare as a sunny day in Manchester, and as for red cards, we’re collecting them
like Panini stickers.
But,
chin up! We’ve started the season with a new badge on our shirts — never mind
the missing sponsor, at least it’s a change of scenery. Any complaints about
the results? Not here, even after getting turned over by, quite possibly, the
worst Manchester United side since the invention of short shorts and then
letting Brighton mug us off again — while generously topping up their bank
account.
Of
course, there was a glimmer of hope when we managed to beat Benfica in midweek
Champions League action, although we couldn’t resist a bit of drama with Joao
Pedro seeing red late on. That makes it two wins in six, but who’s counting?
As
for Liverpool, after a streak of seven wins, they were finally tripped up by
Crystal Palace and then Galatasaray. Perhaps all those last-minute wins caught
up with them, but let’s be honest, there’s more chance of us winning the
lottery than them losing three on the bounce. So, bring on the chaos — and
maybe keep the first aid kit handy.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into
today’s game, Enzo Maresca, says “I don’t think it’s better to play them now
just because they’ve dropped points. It’s always a tough game. The way they’re
doing this season is fantastic, especially after the Jota tragedy. I went
through exactly the same when I was a player 20 years ago. It’s not easy for
the players, it’s not easy for the club or the manager. When you arrive at the
training ground and see every day that place empty. You have to be very strong.
This is the reason why for me they’re doing better than good, because they are
trying to deal with a problem that is not easy.”
Liverpool
manager Arne Slot, meanwhile, says “We play tomorrow (against) Chelsea, I
think they’ve scored more than 50 per cent of their goals from set-pieces. So,
this is the new reality in the Premier League and we were doing this really
well (in the) second part of last season. This season, we have had many chances
from set-pieces as well – unfortunately we didn’t score yet.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, the physio room is busier than the local Wetherspoons on a Saturday
night. Levi
Colwill (ACL), Tosin (calf), Cole Palmer (groin), Liam Delap (hamstring), Dario
Essugo (thigh), Romeo Lavia, remain out injured, Wesley Fofana (head) and
Andrey Santos (knock) both face late checks. Chalobah serves a one-match suspension
whilst Mykhaylo Mudryk, meanwhile, could spend
his evening anywhere from testing the track out for the Olympics to catching up
with his lawyer—depends on whether you believe the papers or your nan’s
WhatsApp group.
For Liverpool, Alisson Becker
(groin) is expected to miss out, Giovanni Leoni (ACL) remains out but Hugo Ekitike
should be available.
TEAMS
CHELSEA
(Possible line-up): Sanchez;
James, Acheampong, Badiashile, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Estevao,
Buonanotte, Neto; Pedro
LIVERPOOL (Possible line-up): Mamardashvili;
Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah,
Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Isak
LAST SEASON
Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool
(4th May 2025)
CURRENT FORM
CHELSEA: DWWDLL
LIVERPOOL: WWWWWL
OTHER STUFF
- Chelsea
won this fixture 3-1 win in May.
- Chelsea
have not had back-to-back league wins over Liverpool since November 2014.
- Liverpool are without a win in their last
four Premier League games at Stamford Bridge.
- Chelsea have lost four of their last five
home Premier League games against the reigning champions.
- Chelsea have suffered consecutive Premier
League defeats for the third time under Enzo Maresca.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Chelsea1-1 Liverpool
