Liverpool and Chelsea collide at Anfield on Sunday as we get to see if both Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca are ready to mount an unlikely title challenge.
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Slot’s Liverpool look much more likely to do that, but this is their first big test under the Dutchman given the relatively easy fixture list they were handed to start the season.
Aside from the opening day visit of Manchester City, the fixtures handed to Maresca were relatively easy too and now we get to see just how brave this young, swashbuckling Blues side is.
Below we take a look at the Liverpool vs Chelsea predicted lineups, check in on the latest team news and have a look at some of the tactical battles set to play out on Merseyside.
Liverpool predicted lineup, team news, tactics
——- Kelleher ——-
—- Alexander-Arnold —- Konate —- Van Dijk —- Robertson —-
—— Szoboszlai —— Gravenberch —— Mac Allister ——
—— Salah —— Jota —— Diaz ——
This Liverpool team pretty much picks itself right now, with the only injury issues in goal. Alisson is out with a hamstring issue, while Kelleher should be fit to start after recovering from an illness. In defense the trusted back four of Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk and Robertson will be rolled out. Alexander-Arnold has even more freedom to float in to midfield and create with Ryan Gravenberch a true holding player who slots in to the back four when needed. Gravenberch also gives Liverpool a more composed tempo on midfield (no team has had more touches in the middle third than Liverpool this season) and the Reds have much more control in games this season. But with Caicedo and Fernandez snapping away at Gravenberch in midfield, this is a big test to see if he’s up for the physical battle. The trio of Salah, Jota and Diaz seem the most likely to start in attack with Nunez, Gakpo and Chiesa superb back-up options. There is a clear style of play under Slot and whoever starts in midfield and attack is tasked with keeping the ball, being patient and then accelerating at the right times to punish opponents. Everything still runs through Salah, but Liverpool’s main aim is to get him more of the ball in areas higher up the pitch where he can hurt opponents. Against a weakened Chelsea defense with a rusty or inexperienced left back, Salah could run riot. Liverpool of course look different this season but there’s still more than a bit of Klopp’s influence in this team when they get going in the final third.
Chelsea predicted lineup, team news, tactics
——— Sanchez ——-
—- Gusto —- Tosin —- Colwill —- Veiga —-
—— Caicedo —— Fernandez ——
—— Madueke —— Palmer —— Sancho ——
——- Jackson ——-
Chelsea have some huge selection issues in defense to contend with this weekend. Both Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella are suspended for this game after picking up their fifth yellow cards of the season against Nottingham Forest. With Reece James just returning from injury and Ben Chilwell rusty after being left out for most of the season so far, that leaves Maresca with a big problem at full back. Does he bring back Chilwell from the cold (pardon the pun)? Or does he go with Renato Veiga at left back? The latter has impressed in the Conference League and seems like the natural selection. Both Tosin and Disasi are a natural fit to slot in for Fofana at center back and it seems likely Maresca will bring in Reiga and Tosin for Cucurella and Fofana. The rest of the team picks itself as Caicedo and Fernandez have finally got a cohesive partnership in midfield which has given Chelsea more defensive balance. The trio ahead of them will be Madueke, Palmer and Sancho with Jackson up top and that quartet have wonderful chemistry and are stretching defenses and opening up huge gaps on the counter. Sancho is in really good form and he could expose the defensive deficiencies of Alexander-Arnold. Having Felix, Neto and Nkunku to come off the bench late on to grab a goal or keep the tempo high has also worked extremely well.
