Liverpool v Chelsea preview: Likely XIs, form guide and predictions

Liverpool resume their season with a tough fixture at home to Chelsea on Sunday when the Premier League returns this coming weekend.

The Reds sit top of the table having won all but one of their matches so far, while the Blues are also enjoying a strong start to the campaign and are currently

Both teams have changed coaches since their last meeting in the Carabao Cup final eight months ago, with Arne Slot taking on the enormous task of replacing Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside while Mauricio Pochettino made way for Enzo Maresca in west London.

Ahead of the Anfield clash on Sunday, let’s look at the form guide for both teams, have a go at predicting the respective starting XIs and give our verdict as to how the match might fare out.

Liverpool and Chelsea form guide

Liverpool won their last six games in all competitions prior to the October international break, including three in the Premier League as they swiftly put the shock home defeat to Nottingham Forest behind them.

The Reds boast the meanest defence in the top flight, with a miserly two goals conceded in seven matches so far, and they’ve already racked up six clean sheets this season.

Chelsea are actually on a slightly longer unbeaten run (seven games), although their own slip-up at home to Forest in their most recent outing ended a sequence of five successive wins.

They’ve actually been much better on their travels in the Premier League, with a 100% record in away matches but just one win in four at Stamford Bridge, which might be a slightly concerning omen for Liverpool.

Liverpool v Chelsea – predicted XIs

Liverpool Line-Up (4-2-3-1): Kelleher – Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson – Gravenberch, Mac Allister – Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz – Jota

Chelsea Line-Up (4-2-3-1): Sanchez – Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Veiga – Caicedo, Fernandez – Madueke, Palmer, Sancho – Jackson

Liverpool v Chelsea prediction

Both teams go into the match in flying form, with this fixture certainly representing Liverpool’s toughest test of the season so far as they face four of the current top six between now and mid-November.

Cole Palmer’s incredible four-goal first half blitz against Brighton, added to his haul of 25 goals from last term, pinpoint him as the obvious target for the Reds to try and nullify if they’re to preserve their formidable defensive record.

However, Slot isn’t exactly stuck for firepower himself, with Mo Salah and Luis Diaz scoring 11 between them in the early weeks of the campaign and both on target for their countries during the international break, as were Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It feels like a match where both teams will score, but Liverpool at Anfield are a near-impossible beast to slay. We’re predicting a 2-1 home win, perhaps with the Merseysiders needing to come from behind as they did against AC Milan and West Ham last month (and on numerous occasions last season).