Chelsea vs. Liverpool
- When: Saturday 29 September
- Where: Stamford Bridge, London
- Kick-off time: 5.30pm
- TV channel: live on BT Sport 1
Football’s obsession with statistics can sometimes make its reporters a laughing stock. One regional newspaper wrung its hands after Liverpool’s 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday night and wondered if this is the beginning of the end for the Reds.
After all, it was the first time Liverpool have lost successive League Cup games at Anfield and never before have the five-time European champions been knocked out of this domestic competition at the first hurdle in successive seasons.
No sleepless nights
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It’s unlikely that Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has suffered any sleepless nights since the loss, at least not if he has the same attitude that Jose Mourinho has for the Carabao Cup.
The Manchester United manager didn’t mind getting dumped out of the tournament by Derby and nor should Klopp care a jot that his side no longer have an interest in one of football’s more meaningless competitions.
Reds go for a magnificent seven
This week for the Reds is all about Saturday’s trip to Stamford Bridge, a clash between two unbeaten Premier League clubs.
For Liverpool it’s six straight wins, whereas the Blues dropped their first points of the season last weekend when they were held to a goalless draw at West Ham.
That result left Chelsea in third spot, level on points with Manchester City, but two shy of Klopp’s league leaders.
All change
Enjoyable as Wednesday night’s win was, Chelsea know it will be largely irrelevant if they don’t repeat the result at the Bridge.
Liverpool made eight changes for the midweek fixture from the side that sauntered past Southampton the previous Saturday, which means the Reds will arrive in west London, fresh, rested and raring to go.
Furthermore, Klopp used the cup tie to give central defender Dejan Lovren his first run out of the season, the Croatian World Cup finalist going the full 90 minutes and showing no ill-effects after his recent pelvic injury.
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri also made eight changes for the Carabao Cup clash but only Emerson was getting his first outing of the season; for Liverpool five of the new faces had barely seen any action since August.
Hazard warning
The star of Wednesday night’s show for the Blues was Eden Hazard, whose wonder goal settled the contest in the visitors’ favour, but Jonathan Wilson of The Guardian believes the Belgian will find the going much harder on Saturday.
“With the first-choice midfield - presumably Jordan Henderson and James Milner, who both played only part of Wednesday’s game, and Georginio Wijnaldum, who was rested altogether - Liverpool’s press should be more efficient,” he writes, adding that the return of defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson will also close down space for Hazard.
Blues boss Sarri is under no illusions as to the threat posed by a full-strength Liverpool, particularly their blistering attack of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.
Explaining that the Reds are a year ahead of Chelsea in their development, the Italian manager said: “It will be really a very difficult match. Maybe a spectacular match but, for us, very difficult.”
Team news and starting XIs
Chelsea team news
The Daily Express reports that Chelsea boss Sarri has a “defensive injury crisis” with David Luiz and Gary Cahill the only fully-fit centre-backs.
Antonio Rudiger missed the Anfield cup clash and Andreas Christensen went off with a knock, so Luiz and Cahill are expected to play in a back four alongside left-back Marcos Alonso and right-back Cesar Azpilicueta.
Midfielders Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Pedro are also doubtful for the clash while up front Olivier Giroud is expected to start with Eden Hazard and Willian supporting the Frenchman.
Liverpool team news
The Liverpool Echo expects Klopp to name a totally different back five to the one that lost the cup game. Brazilian Alisson will play in goal while Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold should form the four-man defence.
Klopp is also expected to name Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum as his midfield three while attacking trio Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane will start up top.
Possible starting XIs
How the teams could line up at Stamford Bridge, according to talkSPORT.
- Chelsea possible starting XI: Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Luiz, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Willian, Giroud, Hazard
- Liverpool possible starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
Weekend Premier League fixtures
Saturday 29 September (3pm unless stated)
- West Ham United vs. Manchester United (12.30pm, live on BT Sport 1)
- Arsenal vs. Watford
- Everton vs. Fulham
- Huddersfield Town vs. Tottenham Hotspur
- Manchester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
- Newcastle United vs. Leicester City
- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Southampton
- Chelsea vs. Liverpool (5.30pm, live on BT Sport 1)
Sunday 30 September
- Cardiff City vs. Burnley (4pm, live on Sky Sports)
Monday 1 October
- Bournemouth vs. Crystal Palace (8pm, live on Sky Sports)
