Chelsea vs Liverpool: Preview & Prediction

Chelsea and Liverpool will kick-start another weekend of Premier League action when the pair meet under the floodlights of Stamford Bridge on Friday night after contrasting results in their previous outings.

Antonio Conte’s Chelsea dropped points in a four-goal encounter at the Liberty Stadium against Swansea City last Sunday.

Diego Costa’s brace in either half salvaged a draw for the West Londoners, following Gylfi Sigurdsson’s penalty, along with Leroy Fer’s bundled effort earlier in the second period, during a feisty game in South Wales.

The stalemate against Swansea brought an end to Chelsea’s 100 per cent record after three successive victories, so the title challengers will be aiming to get back to winning ways on home soil under the stewardship of their Italian manager.

Chelsea currently reside in second position having acquired ten points from their opening four games. Only table-toppers Manchester City, who have gained 12 points from a possible 12, sit above them.

Liverpool will journey south to the capital buoyed by an emphatic triumph over defending champions Leicester City in Saturday’s late game at a newly-refurbished Anfield.

Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane put the Reds two to the good, prior to Jamie Vardy pulling one back for the Foxes late in the first-half.

An emphatic win for Jurgen Klopp’s side was confirmed in the second-half courtesy of strikes from Adam Lallana, while Brazilian international Firmino added his brace in the dying embers, a result that moved the Merseysiders up to sixth in the league standings after four games.

Despite being victorious away at Arsenal in their opening game at the Emirates Stadium in August, Saturday was just Liverpool’s second top-flight win of the season, in a mixed start.

Liverpool’s last league visit to Stamford Bridge in October 2015 proved fruitful, concluding in a 3-1 victory for the Anfield outfit.

Ramires edged Chelsea into a fourth minute lead, but his compatriot Philippe Coutinho netted a brace which was added to by Christian Benteke’s strike that completed the scoring with seven minutes to play.

The Reds’ Firmino netted twice during last weekend’s 4-1 victory over Leicester City – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Team News:

Veteran central defender John Terry will definitely miss out on Friday’s contest. The 35-year-old strained ligaments in his left ankle at Swansea on Sunday.

Chelsea will also be without Terry’s defensive counterpart Kurt Zouma. The Frenchman is sidelined until after Christmas with a knee-injury, in what is their only other injury concern.

David Luiz will therefore make his second debut for the club he departed in 2014, after completing a £34m deadline day transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, as could full-back Marcos Alonso. The Spaniard is a recent £23m signing from Fiorentina.

As for Liverpool, Ragnar Klavan (knee) and Mamadou Sakho (calf) both remain major doubts for the trip.

The duo of Emre Can and Dejan Lovren could be in contention to face Chelsea, as both players trained at Melwood after recovering from ankle and eye injuries respectively, handing a significant boost to their German manager.

League Positions: Chelsea – 2nd (10pts); Liverpool – 6th (7pts)
Last Meeting: Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – (International Champions Cup – July 28, 2016)
League Form: Chelsea – WWWD; Liverpool – WLDW
Key Men: Chelsea – Diego Costa; Liverpool – Roberto Firmino
Shoot Says: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool