A somewhat modern rivalry is once again ignited, Liverpool welcome Chelsea to Anfield in what will no doubt be a physical encounter, complete with the necessary intensity, skill and passion. You can also expect nothing less than an electric Anfield come Sunday afternoon.
Slot for the Kop
The oldest adage in English football is the fact that Liverpool just becomes a different animal at Anfield. The intensity is always a little higher, the crowd a little more bolstered and the belief of the players often just go through the roof.
Arne Slot has no doubt enjoyed the start of his Liverpool tenure, there were quite a few questions marks around whether he would seamlessly fit in – and rightly so – I mean, we have seen how teams can come unstuck once a larger-than-life manager departs…
Slot has, in my opinion, continued to elevate the style of play Liverpool adopted under Jurgen Klopp. Their press is just as intense but looks to also boast a robustness that wasn’t always as consistent. The pace at which they turn defence into attack has remained, but the sophistication and dynamic approach of their attack has seemingly continued to improve! They are playing some really good football, and yet remain under the radar in the bigger picture conversation.
Players to watch
Chelsea have been remarkably prolific this season, with 16 goals from their opening 7 league fixtures – only second to Manchester City *17 goals) ahead of this round of fixtures. Cole Palmer has been particularly instrumental in Chelsea’s offensive output, proving to be a consistent threat. His 11 goal involvements (6 goals and 5 assists) is a league leading total.
Liverpool’s recent defensive solidity will face a stern test against Chelsea’s potent attacking force. The absence of goalkeeper Alisson Becker due to injury adds another layer of complexity to the Reds’ challenge and the Blues will undoubtedly be eager to capitalize on his absence.
How to watch
The match is scheduled to kick-off at 17:30 on Sunday, 20 October and will be broadcast live on SuperSport channel 203. Showmax subscribers will also be able to stream the fixture.
Anfield
Anfield is the home ground of Liverpool Football Club, one of the most renowned and successful clubs in English football history. This season, Liverpool suffered a one nil home loss to Nottingham Forest, but Arne Slot soon corrected that with a 3-0 league win over Bournemouth and a 5-1 drubbing of West Ham in the EFL Cup.
Betting odds (supplied by Hollywoodbets)
To win (90 min)
Liverpool 11/20 | Draw 32/10 | Chelsea 39/10
I think these two teams will go hammer and tong at each other. I wouldn’t be surprised if it opened up and became end-to-end, but I think Liverpool win it. They match the attacking threat of their visitors, but with a more complete defensive stability, I think Arne Slot and the Reds edge this one and claim all three.
We’re tipping Liverpool and over 2.5 goals at 9/10.