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All eyes will be at Anfield on Saturday night when Chelsea and Liverpool go head to head for the first time this season. Both sides have seemingly settled in and are surely aware of their best combinations, strengths and weaknesses by now which makes the tie even more interesting. Add to that the mere three-point difference between the clubs in the table and one can easily make out that this fixture will be highly contested.
Liverpool have not lost to Chelsea in the league since November 2014 but they threw away a 3-0 lead against Sevilla in midweek to further underline their defensive woes. Chelsea, on the other hand, continued their fine form in front of goal with a 4-0 win away to Qarabag.
Chelsea have won 10 of their last 12 away games in the league while Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in 7 of their last 8 league games at home. Joel Matip could feature for the Reds after returning to training from a thigh problem whereas Victor Moses is still far from being able to play a part in the game.
The fixture will surely provide goals considering the qualities possessed by both sides while going forward. Here we take a look at the 5 key personal battles to watch out for in this blockbuster of a game:
#5 Roberto Firmino vs Andreas Christensen
Roberto Firmino rediscovered his form in front of goal after he bagged a couple of goals against Sevilla during midweek. The Brazilian was at the right place at the right time on numerous occasions as Liverpool displayed some fine form with him leading the line alongside the in-form Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Firmino has not scored in his last three appearances for Liverpool in the league but will look to take inspiration from his recent antics in Spain as he prepares to take on the defending champions. The 26-year-old’s inability to leave a mark on games against the bigger teams in the league has been a medium of measuring his capabilities in recent times and this fixture will provide the perfect opportunity to repair the tarnished reputation.
Andreas Christensen has been a revelation at Chelsea ever since returning from his successful loan spells at Borussia Monchengladbach. The Dane will certainly come up against Firmino who leads the line for Liverpool’s highly clinical strike force and will be assigned the task of keeping them at bay.
Christensen has been one of Chelsea’s star performers in the big games so far this season after displaying impressive performances when he was pitted against some of the deadliest strikers in the form of Romelu Lukaku, Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero. However, Liverpool at Anfield could be his biggest test yet and this battle will be one to keep an eye out for.
#4 Alvaro Morata vs Dejan Lovren
Despite a lot of concerns put forward by his doubters, Alvaro Morata has taken the Premier League by storm since his arrival in the summer from Real Madrid. The Spaniard has already scored a club record eight goals and assisted 4 in his first 12 games and surpassed Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s previous record numbers of playing a part in 11 goals from his first 12 games for the Blues.
Morata has quickly established a partnership with Eden Hazard since returning from injury and the duo were simply unstoppable in their last league outing against West Bromwich Albion. He will fancy his chances against a Liverpool back line that will be under pressure even before the ball is kicked simply due to their recent slump at Sevilla and the overgrowing concern about their abilities at the back.
Dejan Lovren has been somewhat of a scapegoat this season after a few dismal performances displayed by the Croatian. He has been at the receiving end of a lot of criticism from the fans who have also called out for reinforcements to replace him in January.
The midweek slump against Sevilla will certainly rub salt to his wounds and he will be under pressure when he faces one of the league’s finest scorers in Morata.
#3 Philippe Coutinho vs N'Golo Kante
In spite of the continued interest from La Liga giants Barcelona, Philippe Coutinho continues to impress his admirers through his excellent performances for Liverpool this season. The Brazilian now sits third in Liverpool’s all-time assists charts with only Steve McManaman (58) and Steven Gerrard (92) registering more for the club.
Coutinho operates through the middle of the park and has also shown a keen eye for goal on several occasions this year. The 25-year-old’s future is still uncertain but he has been a standout player for Liverpool since making his debut in 2013 and the Liverpool faithful will be pinning their hopes on him yet again.
However, Coutinho will come up against one of the finest defensive midfielders in the world at the moment in the form of Chelsea’s midfield engine N’golo Kante. Chelsea look like a completely different side when the Frenchman plays and creative players like Cesc Fabregas and Hazard have been reaping the rewards of the extra freedom they enjoy while playing with Kante.
This will be a feisty battle contested through the middle and both players will be given key roles mainly in nullifying each other’s impact on the game. With the fixture not boasting of midfield generals Frank Lampard and Gerrard anymore, this could become a battle that can scale the same heights.
#2 Eden Hazard vs Alberto Moreno
Eden Hazard can be a nightmare to any defender and guessing by his recent form, it will be extremely hard to keep him at bay. The Belgian continued his fine form against Qarabag in midweek as he picked up from where he left off against West Brom in the league, where he netted twice and provided an assist to Morata in a 4-0 win for Chelsea.
Hazard has been a key figure for Chelsea ever since joining them in 2012 from Ligue 1 outfit Lille. His form will be vital for the Blues if they are to catch up with Manchester City and looks sharper every week showing no signs of slowing down.
Moreno, on the other hand, will be under pressure after his recent nightmare against his former club Sevilla in midweek. The Spaniard was responsible for poor marking which led to Sevilla’s first goal and also conceded a penalty, that was converted from the spot, after sticking out a leg to catch Wasim Ben Yedder.
Chelsea are expected to play a 3-5-2 formation with Hazard roaming freely in and around the final third to provide a cutting edge to their attack and hence he is bound to come up against Moreno, who will have to be at his best, at some point or the other.
#1 Mohamed Salah vs Cesar Azpilicueta
Mohamed Salah has not been the same ever since he left Chelsea for Roma in the Serie A. Jurgen Klopp’s star signing is currently the league’s top scorer and has scored 13 goals in all competitions so far this season. Prior to Liverpool’s midweek disappointment at Sevilla, Salah had contributed a goal or an assist in his last seven appearances for the club.
The Egyptian, who is already considered as the signing of the season by many, has become a crowd favourite at Anfield and enjoys an effective partnership with Mane and Firmino. Salah will be looking to keep his form going against former employers Chelsea when he steps out to play on Saturday.
Salah is expected to come up against one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers over the last few seasons in Cesar Azpilicueta. The defender has received huge praise from Jose Mourinho during his time at Chelsea and is also the only player to play every single minute in Antonio Conte’s first 50 league games in charge for the club.
Azpilicueta is one of Chelsea’s prized assets at the moment and can play anywhere in the back three. He has also filled in as a wing-back whenever required making him one of the most versatile players in the squad. The 28-year-old recently added more to his attacking game and has already registered 5 assists, the highest by any defender, in the league so far this season.
However, for both players, this could be their biggest test yet considering the venue and the implications the result could have on the league table.
