Chelsea vs Liverpool
England – Premier League
Date: Sunday, 2 January 2021
Kick-off at 16:30 UK/ 17:30 CET
Venue: Stamford Bridge.
The first Premier League Matchweek of 2022 is underway, and fans will be treated to a must-see match on Sunday at Stamford Bridge, as Chelsea plays rival championship contenders Liverpool, with both clubs seeking to get back on track.
Chelsea have lost their stride in recent weeks after a scorching start to the season ، The Blues have won just two of their previous six league games, despite having a game in hand, due to a mix of injuries, Covid, and bad performances. They are currently 11 points behind league leaders Manchester City.
Thomas Tuchel’s side were beaten to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week, and they’ll be looking to rebound on Sunday.
After a six-game winning streak in the Premier League, Liverpool has surrendered points in their previous two league games, most recently losing 1-0 to Leicester City. As a result, they have dropped to third position in the table, one point behind Chelsea and 12 behind leaders Manchester City. With the margin at the top expanding, Jurgen Klopp and his team must get back on track as soon as possible or risk losing even more ground in the championship chase.
The reverse match earlier this season at Anfield finished in a 1-1 tie. Liverpool, on the other hand, has won three of their past five Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge. The Hard Tackle takes a deeper look at both teams ahead of their latest matchup on Sunday.
Chelsea vs Liverpool Head to head :
- The latest match-up had ended in a 1-1 draw.
- The last eight overall wins were evenly split into four each for either squad.
- Since 2011, the hosts have failed to score just once at this stadium.
- Meanwhile, the visitors had scored two or more goals in the last two PL meetings at this venue.
Chelsea vs Liverpool Prediction :
After losing their previous encounter, both clubs come into Sunday’s game looking for a win. Chelsea, on the other hand, appears to have a greater problem than Liverpool. The Blues have appeared to be a pale ghost of the team that was on fire early in the season.
Chelsea have only preserved one clean sheet in their previous eight Premier League games, indicating that things aren’t clicking offensively. Liverpool, with their better skill, should be able to do the same and do it with more effect while taking advantage of the opportunities that come their way, like Brighton did earlier this week.
It’ll most likely be a thrilling match with lots of opportunities for both teams. Liverpool, on the other hand, should have enough to win on Sunday after winning their past two Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea vs Liverpool Team News :
Chelsea’s Reece James and Andreas Christensen both suffered thigh and back injuries in the draw with Brighton, while Ben Chilwell’s ACL injury is now confirmed to require surgery.
Thiago Silva faces a late fitness test, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is still recovering from an ankle injury, and Timo Werner, who tested positive for COVID, did not return to training before the Brighton draw.
In this depleted Chelsea team, Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr may be forced to start from the start, while Kai Havertz might give some fresh legs up top, especially if Romelu Lukaku’s recent interview puts him on the naughty step.
Following his red card against Tottenham, Andy Robertson serves the third and final game of his ban, while Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Naby Keita are all available ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Takumi Minamino and Thiago Alcantara are still out due to muscular problems, while Nat Phillips, Adrian, Divock Origi, and Harvey Elliott have all been ruled out.
Chelsea possible starting lineup (3-4-2-1) :
Mendy; Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Rudiger; Hudson-Odoi, Jorginho, Kante, Alonso; Ziyech, Mount; Havertz
Liverpool possible starting lineup (4-3-3):
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Fabinho, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Jota, Mane
