Anfield Epic: Liverpool vs. Chelsea Premier League Showdown
Ordinarily, this would be a major clash of two top clubs. However, this season is far better for Liverpool than it is for Chelsea. Although there’s a lot of history between these teams, the 2023-24 matchup isn’t quite as exciting as it could be, as many points separate the clubs on the EPL ladder.
Match Details
Liverpool will host this game in the world-famous Anfield stadium, with Chelsea as the visiting team. Anfield can host more than 50,000 spectators for the Liverpool home games. The kick-off time is expected to be 20:15 GMT, and it will be played on Wednesday, January 31st.
Team News
Liverpool is still missing their star goalscorer, Mo Salah, although he likely needs another two weeks until he’s ready to play. There are also injuries to Joel Matip, Stefan Bajcetic Maquieira, Thiago Alcantara, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Trent Alexander-Arnold (although he is possible to return for the Chelsea matchup). Wataru Endo is out due to playing in the AFC Asian Cup.
Chelsea is clearly not at full strength and missing several major players, which will hurt their chances of winning. The team is playing without Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Marc Cucurella Saseta, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto, Robert Sanchez, Ben Chilwell, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Trevoh Chalobah. Nicolas Jackson is out due to playing in the African Cup of Nations.
Recent Form
It’s hard to doubt Liverpool’s playing form, as the team has been outstanding and is at the top of the English Premier League with 48 points (5 more than Manchester City in second place). The squad has had two draws and three wins in their last five matches, with their most recent ending in a massive 4-0 victory over Bournemouth.
Chelsea, meanwhile, has slipped to 9th place on the table with 31 points, although they have looked better recently. Their last five games have been one loss and four wins, with the most recent game finishing in a 1-0 triumph against Fulham.
Head-to-Head
In recent times, Chelsea against Liverpool has been an extremely even outcome. Although one was an F.A. Cup match and another was a League Cup, five recent games between these two club titans have ended in a draw.
Key Players to Watch
Chelsea is going to miss the goal-scoring of Nicolas Jackson (7 goals), but everyone will be paying attention to Raheem Sterling, who has been solid lately with 5 goals.
Liverpool has enough skilled players to miss a few big names on the squad, as two stars, in particular, will have to carry the team to victory. These will be Darwin Núñez (7 goals) and Diogo Jota (7 goals), who are both in great form recently.
Tactical Overview
Liverpool is great at attacking the goals from the wings and superb at winning header battles. They’ll be looking to win with short, controlled passes, well-timed through balls, and keeping possession of the football in both halves of the game.
Predictions
Liverpool is the clear favourite here due to their recent form and position on the ladder. The odds of Liverpool to win from Bet365 are 8/13, a draw is 3/1, and a Chelsea win is 15/4. The Anytime Goalscorer bet is safest with Darwin Núñez, with odds of 11/8. Liverpool’s chances to win are currently at 58%, Chelsea’s at 20%, and a draw at 22%.
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