The defending Premier League champions are searching for just their fourth win in the top flight this season, while Jurgen Klopp finally got off the mark in midweek’s cup action.
After suffering their fifth top-flight defeat this season away to West Ham last Saturday, defending Capital One Cup champions Chelsea were knocked out of the tournament by Stoke City on penalties three days later.
clear that the players who shined in Chelsea’s title-winning campaign last season, including Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Matic have not quite been up to scratch so far.
The club’s miserable run drifted into the Capital One Cup in midweek as Stoke City secured a penalty-shootout win over Mourinho’s side in the fourth round of the competition – the nail in the coffin came when Hazard’s spot-kick was saved by Jack Butland.
The team have only managed to keep two clean sheets and have conceded 19 goals, while managing 15 at the other end.
The champions will need that level of performance to get anything from Jurgen Klopp’s men because Liverpool are increasingly buying into the German’s methods.
The German coach has led the club to three draws and a victory on Wednesday, against Bournemouth in the League Cup, since taking over from Brendan Rodgers, and Liverpool will therefore see their trip to west London as the perfect opportunity to maintain their momentum against a Chelsea side who only have two wins to their name in the league this term.
Roberto Firmino particularly impressed for the Reds against Bournemouth in midweek following a lacklustre start since his summer move from Hoffenheim, but the Brazilian’s quality will really be tested when the team takes on tougher opposition.
While the pressure on Klopp is nowhere near the level on Mourinho ahead of this fixture, the 48-year-old will be required to get a run of wins under his belt at some point following back-to-back draws in the Premier League.
In five away games in the top flight this season, Liverpool have only managed to pick up six points out of a possible 15, scoring just four goals in total.
Match facts
- Chelsea are unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings with Liverpool, winning three and drawing three.
- Liverpool have failed to score in just one of their last 10 league clashes with the Blues.
- At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have enjoyed just one victory in their five Premier League games against Liverpool (D2 L2), although are they unbeaten in the last three (W1 D2).
- The Blues have lost two of their last four home league games after going unbeaten in the previous 21 (W15 D6).
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games (W1 D4), their longest top-flight unbeaten spell since March (13 games unbeaten).
- Jose Mourinho has lost six of his last 12 Premier League matches; immediately before that run, he had lost six in 64 in the English top-flight.
- Liverpool are without a win on their last five top-tier trips to London, losing two and drawing each of the last three.
- This season, Cesc Fabregas has provided just one assist after the first 10 Premier League games; last season at this stage the Spaniard had already racked up nine.
Head to head
Chelsea took four points off Liverpool in the two league matches last season and eliminated them in the semifinals of the League Cup by a 2-1 aggregate.
The Blues are unbeaten in their last eight versus Liverpool (4-4-0) across all competitions, and the Reds are winless in their last five (0-2-3) at Stamford Bridge since a 2-0 victory Nov. 29, 2011, in the League Cup.
The past meeting between these two sides at the Bridge ended in a 1-1 draw in May, with Terry and Steven Gerrard getting the goals.
Team news
Chelsea manager Mourinho may be without star striker Costa for the clash with Liverpool after the Spain international was taken to hospital with a rib injury that forced him off during the Blues’ League Cup loss to Stoke which could mean that Remy or Radamel Falcao could lead the attack for the home side.
The Chelsea boss will also be without Thibaut Courtois, who has still not recovered from knee surgery, Branislav Ivanovic and Pedro.
Some rare good news for Chelsea is that Matic will be available after serving his one-match suspensio.
John Terry and Gary Cahill are expected to marshall the defence, while Hazard, Fabregas, Willian and Pedro could all start in this crucial fixture.
Klopp, meanwhile, is expected to welcome striker Christian Benteke back from a minor knock but fellow forward Daniel Sturridge is a huge doubt after missing Liverpool’s last four games with a knee injury.
Kolo Toure is also a doubt after coming off with a hamstring issue against Bournemouth and he joins Jordan Henderson, Jon Flanagan, Joe Gomez, Danny Ings and Jordan Rossiter as Klopp’s missing men for their trip to Stamford Bridge.
James Milner will return after being suspended for the Bournemouth game, while goalkeeper Simon Mignolet should reclaim his place between the sticks after being rested against the Cherries.
Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana are likely to be tasked with providing attacking flair just behind the striker.
Predicted Line-ups
Chelsea : Begovic, Zouma, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Ramires, Willian, Oscar, Hazard, Remy.
Liverpool : Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Can, Milner, Coutinho, Lallana, Origi.
From : SS.com
