Chelsea team news
Recent form
A 2-0 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday was the end of the road for Graham Potter as Chelsea boss. The Blues have only managed to win four out of their 16 matches in 2023 and are in desparately in need of a change in approach to return to winning ways.
Key players
Kai Havertz has been the leader of Chelsea's attack this season and has the most number of league goals in the squad. His seven goals are well deserved but that tally is nowhere near enough for a forward of a top-four club after 28 rounds. Havertz remains a key player and one of the better performers in the squad this season.
Injuries & suspensions
Chelsea interim boss Bruno Saltor has confirmed that there are no fresh injury concerns for the Blues to deal with ahead of their clash against Liverpool.
The likes of Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Cesar Azpilicueta and Raheem Sterling remain sidelined due to injuries.
Tactical approach
Salter will hope to set his team up at attack the Liverpool defence. Liverpool have been vulnerable this season and as usually seen after a sacking, teams more often than not tend to turn up and enjoy renewed vigour due to the big change.
| Position | Players |
|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Mendy, Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Slonina |
| Defenders: | Chalobah, Koulibaly, Cucurella, Badiashile, Chilwell, James |
| Midfielders: | Gallagher, Chukuwuemeka, Mudryk, Fernandez, Loftus-Cheek, Madueke, Ziyech, Zakaria, Kante, Kovacic, Mount |
| Forwards: | Havertz, Felix, Pulisic |
Liverpool team news
Recent form
The big 7-0 win over rivals Manchester United was the last good result Liverpool achieved this season and that was nearly a month ago. The Reds have since lost three out of the three games they played, which included a Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid and a 4-1 loss to Manchester City in their previous outing.
Key players
Mohammed Salah remains Jurgen Klopp's go-to man this season as well. With 12 goals and seven assists to his name, he has been one of the Reds' best players on the pitch and will be key to unlocking a Chelsea side with renewed energy.
Injuries & suspensions
Klopp has confirmed that he has no fresh injury issues to deal with following the game at the weekend against Manchester City. Naby Keita, Thiago Alcantara and Luis Diaz remain absent due to injuries.
Tactical approach
Liverpool are firmly on the back foot at the moment but their football philosophy remains unchanged. Klopp will set his team up to take the game to Chelsea but it could end up being a messy affair as both teams have pride at stake.
| Position | Players |
|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Alisson, Adrian, Kelleher |
| Defenders: | Tsimikas, Robertson, Matip, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Williams, Van Dijk, Konate |
| Midfielders: | Fabinho, Milner, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Elliott |
| Forwards: | Salah, Jota, Gakpo, Nunez, Firmino |
Head-to-head record
Chelsea vs Liverpool games have been unable to produce a winning team in 90 minutes - all their last five meetings have ended as stalemates at the end of normal time. Liverpool have beaten Chelsea twice on penalties though and both those occasions were Cup finals.
| Date | Result | Competition |
|---|
| January 21, 2023 | Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea | Premier League |
| May 14, 2022 | Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (5-6 on penalties) | FA Cup |
| February 27, 2022 | Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (10-11 on penalties) | League Cup |
| January 2, 2022 | Chelsea 2-2 Liverpool | Premier League |
| August 28, 2021 | Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea | Premier League |
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