Liverpool FC vs Chelsea FC, English Premier League 2024-25, Today Match Prediction

Liverpool FC vs Chelsea FC Match Prediction & Analysis

It's the game of the weekend. Liverpool face Chelsea in a top-table showdown at Anfield—a match between two informed teams. The match is scheduled for Sunday, October 20th, at 9 p.m. IST. Liverpool has won three consecutive Premier League games since their shocking defeat to Nottingham Forest in September, with their most recent victory coming against Crystal Palace. They defeated Palace 1-0, with Diogo Jota scoring the winner in the ninth minute. 

The Blues, on the other hand, dropped points in their most recent match, settling for a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest after falling behind in the game. Noni Madueke's equaliser spared the Blues from blushes. At that point in time, they were on a three-match winning streak. 

Head-to-head record: Liverpool holds a slight advantage in this rivalry with a win-loss record of 24-21 in 64 games. However, four of the last five matches between the teams have ended in draws. 

Current Standings: At present, Liverpool tops the points table with 18 points, whereas Chelsea occupy the 4th position with 14 points. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Liverpool FC Preview

Barring that shock defeat against Nottingham, Arne Slot has been on cue as the new manager of Liverpool. In fact, he is the first manager in the club's history to win his first 10 matches in charge of the club. Fair to assume that the transition from Jorgan Klopp to Arne Slot has been smooth. 

Key to success 

"Offence with control" has been Slot's mantra. He prefers to have possession and build-ups from the back. In a way one can say, Slot's tactics have kind of smothered Klopp’s wildness. And at the centre of his plans is the flying Dutchman, Gravenberch. He has been involved in the passing sequence of the impressive goals scored by the Reds this season. Furthermore, he is the third-best-ranked player in the league when it comes to carries and makes an average 1.1 takeons per-game. He is the midfield general that makes this team tick. 

Tactics & Team News 

Chelsea are very dangerous when it comes to counter-attacks and they like to break the lines by through-balls. In fact, currently, Blues have attempted the most through-balls (23) in the season. Liverpool will have warry of these. But then, considering how Liverpool keeps control of the ball, by not committing to mindless attacks, the Reds will be just fine if they keep up with the discipline.  Not to mention, they have conceded only twice in seven games.  Harvey Elliott will be unavailable for the match against Chelsea, but Slot is hoping that Federico Chiesa and Alexis MacAllister will be available.

Stats That Matter 

Liverpool are ranked 3rd in ball possession with 60.7% averaging 15.3 shots per game. The Reds score an average of 1.86 goals per match with a shooting accuracy of 41%. Luis Diaz is the top scorer with 5 goals. Mohamed Salah has also scored 4 goals this season. The team has an average of 3.3 saves per game, the 10th best in the season. They have conceded an average of 0.29 goals per match.

Liverpool  Probable Starting Lineup - Alisson (GK), van Dijk, Tsimikas, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Jones, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Salah, Jota & Gakpo

Chelsea FC Preview

This game clearly is about managers as well as the teams. Like Slot, Enzo Maresca has had an impactful first season at the club thus far. But, unlike his reputation as the man who likes to play the game in a structured way with slow build-ups, Chelsea’s play this season has been nothing short of madness, with the emphasis largely on quick transition. This was evident in the games against Brentford (4-2) and Wolves (6-2). But then there are games in the mix like Crystal Palace (1-1) and Nottingham Forest (1-1). The game against Liverpool will tell more about Maresca. 

Key Player

Palmer emerged as the standout player last season with 22 goals and 11 assists. And he is once again the standout one this time around as well. So far, he has managed to score six goals with five assists. He is averaging 1.66 goal involvements per game this season, up from 1.14 last season. 

Tactics & Team News

Like they have done for most of the season, the Blues will look to take on the Reds in counters. After the completion of seven rounds, they have made the most number of shots via fast breaks (14) and converted 3 of them.  Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana are suspended for the trip to Anfield, but Enzo Marseca will be hoping to see Reece James, Carney Chukwuemeka, Levi Colwill, Chukwunonso Madueke, and Omari Kellyman return to the squad.

Stats That Matter - Chelsea are ranked 6th in ball possession with 56.6% averaging 13.7 shots per game. The Blues score an average of 2.29 goals per match with a shooting accuracy of 43%. Cole Palmer is the top scorer with 6 goals. Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke have also scored 4 goals each this season. The team has an average of 4.7 saves per game, the 2nd best in the season. They have conceded an average of 1.14 goals per match. 

Chelsea probable starting lineup - Sanchez (GK), Chilwell, Adarabioyo, Gusto, Colwill, Palmer, Fernández, Caicedo, Sancho, Madueke & Jackson 

LIVERPOOL FC vs CHELSEA FC
Winning Prediction

Recent history shows a trend of draws in this rivalry. In the last five matches between the teams, four have ended in draws. However, Chelsea's last visit to Anfield resulted in a resounding 4-1 defeat. To compound their challenges, they have only won one of their last nine Premier League games at Anfield (with five draws and three losses).

Most betting sites favor Liverpool to win over Chelsea in this match, managed by Arne Slot and Maresca, respectively. The expected xG for the encounter is estimated to be between 3 and 3.5. Liverpool's defensive prowess has been evident this season, while Chelsea has occasionally struggled against solid defensive units. Considering these factors, we are inclined to place our bets on either a Liverpool win or a draw.

Liverpool to Win (2-1)

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