TEAM NEWS
Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek could be available after injuries, while Andreas Christensen has overcome a stomach bug. Chelsea will monitor the fitness of Antonio Rudiger, who suffered a groin injury at West Ham on Sunday.
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk has not trained since being substituted with a rib injury last weekend but he hasn’t been ruled out of Saturday’s game.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Georginio Wijnaldum have recovered from illness and injury respectively.
MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
@Wilsonfooty: So early in the season and yet so much at stake. Chelsea may have earned the edge at Anfield on Wednesday, but it’ll be Saturday that matters most.
Chelsea and Liverpool represent not only a huge threat to champions Manchester City but a huge threat to each other.
It’s a fixture which has become one of this generation’s greatest rivalries: Liverpool fans (incorrectly) taunting those of Chelsea for their lack of history, and Chelsea supporters (incorrectly) mocking their rivals’ obsession with the past.
Of course, it’s the future that matters most: and these two seem certain to be involved in a three-way title race which should provide the neutral with an antidote to City’s romp to the glory of last season.
It’s Chelsea v Liverpool ….. enough said.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri on “genius” Eden Hazard: “I think that he is for sure one of the best [players in the world], but I am absolutely convinced that he can improve.
“I think that we have seen only 75, 80% of his potential. He’s a genius, technically I think he’s the best. And so I want him to be the best in the world.
“He has a lot to give…and I want everything: more continuity from the physical point of view, from the mental point of view.”
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp: “We try to use the information from [Wednesday] to be better on Saturday. Striking back is a nice opportunity.
“Before we started, it was clear the game at Chelsea would not be a children’s birthday.
“It will be tough and intense for both sides. It’s a big one. It already sounds good, and we have to make sure it is good.”
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
I don’t think Chelsea’s win at Anfield in the Carabao Cup will have any bearing on this game. I am going to go for a draw here, and that would be a good result for both teams.
Prediction: 1-1
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- This is the most-played fixture in English football in the 21st century, with Chelsea and Liverpool facing each other on Saturday for the 58th time in that period.
- Liverpool have won only two of the past 15 meetings in all competitions (D7, L6). Both victories came at Stamford Bridge.
- Liverpool’s run of 14 league games without a clean sheet against Chelsea is their longest against a single opponent in the top flight since a 17-match streak against Blackburn between 1947 and 1995.
Chelsea
- Chelsea could win their opening four home matches of a Premier League campaign for the first time since 2014-15 under Jose Mourinho.
- They earned 12 points from their 10 games against the other top-six sides last season. They didn’t score more than once at Stamford Bridge in any of those fixtures.
- Olivier Giroud has scored five goals in his last six league starts against Liverpool, including the winner in last season’s corresponding fixture in May.
- Eden Hazard has been directly involved in the most Premier League goals this season, scoring five and setting up two.
Liverpool
- Liverpool are attempting to win their first seven top-flight matches of a season for only the second time, having done so in 1990-91. Chelsea are the only side to achieve the feat in the Premier League, winning their opening nine games in 2005-06.
- The Reds could equal their top-flight record of four successive away victories from the beginning of a season, also set in 1990-91.
- Jürgen Klopp could match his longest top-flight winning streak as a manager – eight matches with Borussia Dortmund from December 2011 to March 2012.
- Liverpool have scored an unsurpassed 10 first-half goals in the Premier League this season, and are the only side yet to concede in the opening 45 minutes.
- Their only away victory in the past eight attempts against an established top-six rival came at the expense of Spurs this season (D3, L4).
- Mo Salah scored two goals in 19 appearances for Chelsea in 2014-2015. He has scored in four of his seven matches against the Blues for Basel and Liverpool.
Source: BBC News
