Liverpool vs. Chelsea
Venue: Anfield Stadium
Kick off: 6:30PM
Liverpool and Chelsea face off at Anfield this evening in the pick of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures, each looking to build on their impressive recent top-flight form.
The Reds are still playing catch-up following a slow start to the campaign, but they have won three in a row domestically to haul themselves back into top-four contention, while the Blues sit three points better off.
For those who have watched Liverpool regularly over the past 11 months, it perhaps came as little surprise to learn that last weekend’s 3-0 win over Southampton earned them three league wins on the spin for the first time this calendar year.
Ever since Jurgen Klopp was appointed two years ago, the Merseyside outfit have lacked the consistency required to see through a title challenge, but nine points from the last nine on offer is a good return heading into the final throes of a mixed 2017.
Even accounting for the dramatic 3-3 draw away to Sevilla in the Champions League in midweek, when somehow throwing away the most comfortable of three-goals leads at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Liverpool are still in a good position both at home and in Europe.
Winning the Premier League is surely already out of the question, though, with Manchester City currently 12 points better off and showing little sign of slowing down, but another top-four finish is a realistic target as they are just one point behind Spurs in that last Champions League spot.
Chelsea however has found their feet in the Premier League in recent weeks, recording four wins in a row – and keeping clean sheets in three of those – since a shock 2-1 loss to London rivals Crystal Palace on October 14.
Chelsea have crept into third place with their latest winning streak, but the gap to leaders Man City remains at nine points – as was the case following their defeat at Selhurst Park – as the Citizens pass each and every challenge that comes their way.
Liverpool possible XI: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Lovren, Moreno, Can, Milner, Coutinho, Mane, Firmino, Salah.
Chelsea possible XI: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill, Zappacosta, Fabregas, Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso, Hazard, Morata.