Mohamed Salah Liverpool vs Bournemouth Premier League 2018-19

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Neil Jones

Liverpool Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Chelsea

The Reds can take a huge step closer to a first Premier League title by beating Maurizio Sarri's men at Anfield

The Premier League title race enters its final stretch this weekend, and Sunday provides what could be a decisive afternoon.

Manchester City head to Crystal Palace, and what looks to be a tricky away trip for the champions. Immediately after, Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield.

Those fixtures eventually decided the sides' last battle, won by City in 2013-14. Who could forget Jose Mourinho's bus parking, Steven Gerrard's slip and Demba Ba's goal? They are still sung about to this day.

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Times have changed since, of course, and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping for better fortune than his predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, enjoyed five years ago.

Here, Goal takes a look at everything you need to know ahead of Sunday's meeting...

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Liverpool Injuries

Liverpool's only major issue surrounds Adam Lallana, who has missed the last two games with a muscle injury. The midfielder is unlikely to be fit for this one.

Joe Gomez returned to the bench against Porto in midweek, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Rhian Brewster each came through an hour in a behind-closed-doors friendly for the Under-23s on Tuesday afternoon. Neither will be involved here, but both have made positive strides in their return from serious knee injuries.

Alberto Moreno trained with the team having missed the Porto game, while Klopp reported no fresh problems after the Reds' 2-0 win.

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Liverpool Suspensions

Liverpool do not have any suspended players for this game, and will have Andy Robertson available after the Scot served a one-game European ban in midweek.

Liverpool Likely Line-Up

Decisions abound for Klopp, who replaced Joel Matip with Dejan Lovren against Porto. Surely the Cameroon star will return for this one?

Robertson will replace James Milner at left-back, meaning the big question, as ever, surrounds the Liverpool midfield.

The temptation will be to stick with the in-form Fabinho, Naby Keita and Jordan Henderson, though Klopp's preference generally for big games is to use Gini Wijnaldum and Milner. It would be no surprise if one or both were drafted in here, harsh as it would be on those who dropped out.

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Chelsea Team News

Maurizio Sarri made significant changes - seven of them - for Chelsea's Europa League tie away at Slavia Prague on Thursday, so we can make a good guess at his line-up on Sunday.

Eden Hazard will return to the starting XI, of course, as will N'Golo Kante and David Luiz. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will hope for starts, as will Gonzalo Higuain.

Decisions remain over left-back, where Emerson has started of late, but where Marcos Alonso scored the winner in Prague, and in midfield where Ross Barkley and Mateo Kovacic are competing for spots.

In attack, Willian in particular will hope he has done enough to get the nod.

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TV Channel & Kick-Off Time

The game will kick off at 4.30pm UK time. It will be screened live on Sky Sports Main Event.

In the United States, the game can be watched live on television on NBC Sports, kick-off 11.30am ET.

Best Opta Match Facts

Liverpool haven’t won any of their last six Premier League games at Anfield against Chelsea (D4 L2); the Reds have never endured a longer winless home run against an opponent in the competition.
Chelsea have only lost twice in their last 16 meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (W6 D8), though both of those defeats came at Stamford Bridge. The Blues’ last defeat at Anfield came back in May 2012 in the Premier League (1-4).
Chelsea have already won away at Liverpool this season, beating them 2-1 in the EFL Cup. They’ve never won twice at Anfield within the same season, with Arsenal in 2006-07 the last side to do so against Liverpool.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 37 Premier League games at Anfield – only once in their top-flight history have they had a longer unbeaten home run (63 between Feb 1978-Dec 1980).
Chelsea have lost their last five Premier League away games against fellow ‘big six’ opponents, including all three this season by an aggregate score of 1-11. However, the Blues have won three of their last four away league games against sides starting the day top, including a 2-0 victory at Anfield in April 2014.
Chelsea have won three Premier League games in a row for the first time since September 2018, when they won their first five matches in the competition under Maurizio Sarri.
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge netted the equaliser for his side at Stamford Bridge in the reverse fixture back in September; the only former player to net both home and away against the Blues within the same campaign was Fabio Borini, who did so for Sunderland during the 2015-16 season.
Only three of the last 32 visiting managers have managed to taste victory in their first Premier League trip to Anfield (W3 D5 L24); Louis van Gaal in March 2015, Slaven Bilic in August 2015 and, most recently, Paul Clement in January 2017.
Roberto Firmino has scored seven goals in his last six Premier League home games for Liverpool. However, the Brazilian has only faced Man Utd (8) and Everton (7) more often than Chelsea (5) without finding the net in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has had a hand in more goals than any other Premier League player this season (28 - 16 goals and 12 assists). The only league season in which the Belgian has been involved in more goals was in 2011/12 with Ligue 1 club Lille (36).