The pick of the EFL Cup third round ties takes place at Anfield on Wednesday as Liverpool play host to Chelsea.
Jurgen Klopp's men have started the campaign with seven straight victories for the first time in 28 years, winning six in the Premier League and beating Paris Saint-Germain in their opening Champions League tie.
Latest Odds
Having won this competition a record eight times, they are priced at 5/6 (1.83) with William Hill to stay on course for a first triumph since 2012 by maintaining their winning streak here.
Maurizio Sarri’s men dropped their first points of the season by being held to a 0-0 draw at West Ham at the weekend, but are available at 14/5 (3.80) to bounce back with a victory in this one.
Each of the last four encounters between the sides at this ground have resulted in draws, and you can get odds of 3/1 (4.00) on this one also finishing up all square after 90 minutes.
Team News
Although not seriously injured, Virgil Van Dijk is unlikely to be included in a rotated line-up after leaving the field with a bruised rib against Southampton on Saturday.
The Blues are also expected to shuffle their pack ahead of this weekend’s important league encounter with this opposition, with Pedro and Antonio Rudiger particularly likely to be rested as they struggle with minor injuries.
Cagey clash
The upcoming league clash means this cup tie has been cast as a warm-up for the main event, with neither team wanting to give anything away.
Having kept a clean sheet in nine consecutive home games against domestic opposition, Klopp’s team are certainly capable of keeping things tight against a visiting side that looked blunt in attack due to a subdued Eden Hazard performance at West Ham.
With the Belgium star unlikely to feature here, the Blues may have to instead rely on a defence that conceded just once in their two encounters with Liverpool last campaign.
Predictions
Considering under 2.5 goals have been scored in eight of the last 11 meetings between this pair, odds of 6/5 (2.20) offer strong value on a cagey cup clash producing no more than two at Anfield.
Under 2.5 goals at 6/5 (2.20) for a 1.5pt stake with William Hill
William Hill
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)