Liverpool v Chelsea Preview
Liverpool and Chelsea’s tie looks the biggest game of matchday 23 in the English Premier League as the title hopeful clubs face each other on Tuesday evening at Anfield. as Liverpool looks to avoid 4 consecutive defeats at home.
Liverpool will be out to avoid 4 consecutive defeats at home when they tackle Chelsea who will be out to make a further statement as they pursue the Premier League title which they won in the 2014-15 season.
Liverpool forward Sadio Mane may get a place on the bench to face Chelsea after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations due to his nation crashing out.
However, the winger’s late arrival on Monday meant he missed training and will have just one training session just hours before the game for manager Jurgen Klopp to make a decision on his involvement.
Liverpool will have another session on Tuesday Morning and manager Jurgen Klopp will have to decide then whether to include the player, at best as a substitute, who was distraught after missing the critical penalty in a 5-4 shoot-out quarter-final Senegal defeat to Cameroon.
“I don’t know exactly (when he will be available),” said Klopp. “The club did an outstanding job to bring him back as soon as possible and he is now on his way.
“We thought it would be possible yesterday: we had a plane there but he was not allowed to go on the plane so we had to wait.” Said Klopp.
Liverpool’s title chances are hanging by a thin thread as they host leaders Chelsea, with 10 points separating the sides.
Chelsea have lost just once in the last 16 Premier League games, and could potentially end the midweek program with an 11-point gap on their rivals with just 15 games remaining.
Chelsea are to revert to their first-choice XI for Tuesday night’s clash. Head coach, Antonio Conte made nine changes for last weekend’s FA Cup win over Brentford and has no injury doubts for the match at Anfield.
Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and defender Branislav Ivanovic, who have both been linked with moves, may be late omissions from the squad if they leave before Tuesday night’s transfer deadline.
For Liverpool, right-back Nathaniel Clyne is still absent with a rib injury and Ovie Ejaria is sidelined after damaging his ankle ligaments at the weekend, but midfielder Adam Lallana who was named English Player of 2016, is set to play after sitting out the FA Cup defeat to Wolves.
Key Opta stats:
This will be the 70th competitive meeting between these clubs in the Premier League era; the most played fixture between two professional English clubs in this period.
Liverpool will be looking to defeat Chelsea both home and away in the same Premier League season for the first time since 2011-12.
Chelsea will be looking for their 50th league victory against Liverpool in this match, a tally they have only achieved against eight opponents in their league history.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last four Premier League trips to Anfield (W2 D2 L0), last losing there in May 2012.
Of players to have made 20+ Premier League appearances, Diego Costa has scored in the highest proportion of games (55.4 per cent – 41/74).
Costa has scored in 15 of his last 21 Premier League matches (16 goals in total).
This fixture at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season was a 1-2 win for Liverpool, but Chelsea’s current form since that loss against Arsenal at the beginning of the season can’t be ruled out.
Many would surely favour Chelsea to win here and extend the lead on the table. Liverpool fell out of the EFL CUP on Saturday and all sorts of talking points have surrounded the team and many pundits questioning Jurgen Klopp’s recent tactical flaws.
Chelsea’s form, joined with that of Diego Costa, gives them this and should win.
PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL 1-3 CHELSEA
