Liverpool host Antonio Conte’s Chelsea this evening (8pm kick-off) hoping to pick themselves up after a tricky few weeks.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were beaten 3-2 at home by Swansea in their last league outing ten days ago, before succumbing to Southampton 1-0 at Anfield last week to exit the League Cup at the semi-final stage.

And it has got worse over the past few days, as the Reds saw their quest for an eighth FA Cup crown come to an early end after losing 2-1 at home to Championship side Wolves on Saturday.

All in all, it has been a disastrous ten days for Liverpool, yet things would be a lot brighter if they were able to beat league leaders Chelsea tonight, who currently sit eight points clear at the top after beating Hull 2-0 in their last league outing.

Conte’s men have won 15 of their last 16 Premier League games to open up a sizable gap at the top, but Liverpool are one of just three teams to have beaten the Blues in the league this season, having won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge back in September.

In what is sure to be a fascinating encounter at Anfield, here are THREE reasons why Liverpool will pick up a much-needed three points this evening…

Great record vs top six

Liverpool have picked up 12 points from six matches against the other sides in the top six this season, which is more than their any of their rivals.

Their 1-1 draw at Manchester United a few weeks back meant that they remained unbeaten against the fellow top six sides, having beaten Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City, as well as drawing at Tottenham and in both games against United.

Clearly, Klopp’s men know how to turn it on against the top sides – in fact Klopp has only lost one of 14 Premier League matches against the top six, and that came when Louis van Gaal’s United won 1-0 at Anfield a year ago.

Liverpool’s form in 2017 has been poor, but a home game against Chelsea could bring the best out of them – based on previous games against the top six, it will do just that.

Well-rested after busy schedule

Of the 11 men that started the defeat against Wolves, it’s unlikely that any more than three of them will get the nod against Chelsea on Tuesday.

Despite a poor display from Klopp’s men, Georginio Wijnaldum, Divock Origi, and Roberto Firmino could keep their place in the starting eleven, which means that several first team regulars will be well-rested after a busy schedule prior to the FA Cup clash.

For the first time this season, the Reds have had repeated midweek fixtures over the last few weeks and, although this is another one, Klopp rested enough of his first team on Saturday in a bid to give them a week’s break between the League Cup defeat to Southampton and the Chelsea clash.

The likes of Philippe Coutinho, Jordan Henderson, and Adam Lallana will surely be recalled in what is a massive clash for Klopp’s men at Anfield tomorrow.

Must-win game

Prior to the Swansea clash nine days ago, we said that the next four games would decide Liverpool’s season, given that they were still in both cup competitions, and went into the clash against the Swans seven points behind leaders Chelsea.

Fast forward three games, and Liverpool’s season pins on tomorrow’s clash against Conte’s men, given that they were deservedly beaten by Swansea, knocked out of the League Cup by Southampton, and then saw their FA Cup hopes dashed by Wolves on Saturday.

In short, this is a must-win game for Klopp’s men.

No cup commitments means that the Premier League is the only focus between now and May, yet they would find themselves 13 points behind Chelsea with defeat on Tuesday, and could well be out of the top four come Wednesday night.

Klopp’s decision to rest players and thus jeopardise FA Cup success can surely only be vindicated if they beat the Blues, otherwise the Reds would have in ten days seen their season come to a shuddering halt.