Liverpool v Chelsea Betting Tips: Reds to let it slip again?
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Preview and odds for crucial Premier League clash
The Premier League title race is going down to the wire, and Liverpool face another tricky task against a Chelsea side fighting their own battles for Champions League football next season.
Liverpool slipped up in this fixture five years ago in their last title charge, falling to a 2-0 defeat and handing the initiative to Manchester City. Can they avoid a repeat of that slip at Anfield?
It kicks off at 4:30pm, and it’s live on Sky Sports Main Event.
Head-to-head
Maurizio Sarri’s Blues were the first side to win against Liverpool this season, coming from behind at Anfield to beat Jurgen Klopp’s Reds 2-1 in the third round of the League Cup thanks to a sublime Eden Hazard strike.
Liverpool narrowly avoided defeat in the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge too, with Hazard netting for Chelsea again before Daniel Sturridge scored a sensational goal in the last minute to snatch a point in SW6.
The Reds are unbeaten in their last 37 Premier League matches at Anfield, a run which could be at risk as they’re without a win in the last five games against Chelsea, losing twice.
Likely XIs
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Emerson; Kante, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek; Hudson-Odoi, Higuain, Hazard.
Klopp put out his full strength XI to gain the upper hand in their Champions League quarter-final against Porto on Tuesday, but they’ll have had adequate rest and preparation time for this huge clash with no fresh injury concerns.
Sarri rested a number of key men for Chelsea’s Europa League quarter-final first leg in Prague, with Eden Hazard, Gonzalo Higuain, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all expected to slot straight back in.
Key Battles
For both sides, the key battles will come down the flanks. Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold face two of the league’s in-form wingers in Hazard and Hudson-Odoi, with the latter’s impressive form cementing his first-team place in recent weeks.
As for Chelsea’s defence, Emerson will need to keep Mo Salah as quiet as possible, with Cesar Azpilicueta needing to be on top form to shut out any chances Sadio Mane gets.
All eyes could be on the two most expensive goalkeepers in world football too. With high price tags come huge expectations and responsibilities, so Kepa and Alisson will want to impress on the biggest stage.
Jordan Henderson is likely to be the man in the middle given the role of suffocating Jorginho. The Italian’s creativity hasn’t provided as much as expected for the Blues, but this would be the perfect game to silence the doubters.
Match Odds
Given their position in the league, and the inconsistency of their opposition, the Anfield side come into the game as hot 4/6 favourites to take a step towards the title.
Resting players may have helped Chelsea’s cause here, and their freshness despite travelling to Prague could give them the upper hand. They’re 21/5 to raid Anfield for another win to dent their rivals’ ambitions.
Former Blue Salah and the in-form Mane are favourites to break the deadlock in this crucial match at 7/2, with 13/10 saying they’re on the scoresheet anytime.
Hazard has scored two in two against Liverpool this season, which puts him as the favourite to bag for the Blues this time too. He’s 13/2 for the opener, or 12/5 as an anytime scorer.
Higuain hasn’t lived up to expectations for Chelsea yet, but he’s a man that knows the route to goal. He’s 3/1 to find the net again.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
