In a repeat of the game that ended Liverpool's last Premier League title challenge, Paul Higham sees a different result this time with the Reds backed to exorcise those Chelsea demons.
Recommended bets
1pt Mo Salah to score & Liverpool to win at 7/4
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Liverpool v Chelsea (1630 BST - Sky Sports Premier League)
If there's a fixture that most Liverpool fans wouldn't want to be facing right now it's Chelsea coming to Anfield and bringing with them the spectre of Steven Gerrard's famous tumble that saw their title challenge under Brendan Rodgers come crashing down around them.
That Gerrard stumble has, and will, be played thousands of times in the build-up and should the Blues score first on Sunday then those bad memories will come flooding back to those in the stands that witnessed that incident five years ago.
Of course, most of the players have changed, Mohamed Salah for instance played most of that game - for Chelsea!
Now he's leading Liverpool's latest Premier League challenge and this side is far more solid than their predecessors, and they may see it as a great chance to exorcise the ghosts of five years ago and add another layer of belief by banishing one of their arch rivals.
🙌 What. A. Goal
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) September 26, 2018
👏 What. A. Player
🔥 Eden Hazard#LIVCHE #CFC pic.twitter.com/9uHDCBBrPj
Apart from THAT game, Chelsea have a decent record at Anfield having not lost in their last six trips - which represents Liverpool's longest winless home run against any team in the league - and they've already won there once this season with an Eden Hazard-inspired victory in the Carabao Cup.
Three straight wins have put Chelsea into third but they've lost their last five trips to top six sides and Liverpool's long unbeaten run shows how powerful they are on home turf these days. Liverpool's need is greater and that extra fire, and the Anfield crowd, can get them home against this tough challenge against a bogey team.
Betting guide
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea (Sky Bet odds: 15/2)
The Reds haven't quite been as rock-solid at the back as they'd have liked coming down the stretch, leaking goals and making a few mistakes but they are still winning. They've showed that if they get ahead early they can run away with it, but have recently also showed the character to come from behind so they've got the bases covered for this one.
Best Bet: Mo Salah to score & Liverpool to win at 7/4
Without going into the sad details, there's no way Salah hasn't heard about the Chelsea 'fans' directing vile abuse at him. Although it's not a reflection on Chelsea as a club or has anything to do with the team on the field, you can't tell me Salah won't be fired up that little bit more - which will make him dangerous.
Stats: 60+ booking points at 11/4
It'll be tense and tight and there's no love lost between these sides so expect it to be bristling right on the edge and there are plenty of opportunities here for the yellow card to come out.
RequestABet: Liverpool win, over 2.5 goals, Salah to score, 10+ match corners at 11/2
Opta stats
- Liverpool haven’t won any of their last six Premier League games at Anfield against Chelsea (D4 L2); the Reds have never endured a longer winless home run against an opponent in the competition.
- Chelsea have only lost twice in their last 16 meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (W6 D8), though both of those defeats came at Stamford Bridge. The Blues’ last defeat at Anfield came back in May 2012 in the Premier League (1-4).
- Chelsea have already won away at Liverpool this season, beating them 2-1 in the EFL Cup. They’ve never won twice at Anfield within the same season, with Arsenal in 2006-07 the last side to do so against Liverpool.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 37 Premier League games at Anfield – only once in their top-flight history have they had a longer unbeaten home run (63 between Feb 1978-Dec 1980).
- Chelsea have lost their last five Premier League away games against fellow ‘big six’ opponents, including all three season by an aggregate score of 1-11. However, the Blues have won three of their last four away league games against sides starting the day top, including a 2-0 victory at Anfield in April 2014.
- Chelsea have won three Premier League games in a row for the first time since September 2018, when they won their first five matches in the competition under Maurizio Sarri.
- Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge netted the equaliser for his side at Stamford Bridge in the reverse fixture back in September; the only former player to net both home and away against the Blues within the same campaign was Fabio Borini, who did so for Sunderland during the 2015-16 season.
- Only three of the last 32 visiting managers have managed to taste victory in their first Premier League trip to Anfield (W3 D5 L24); Louis van Gaal in March 2015, Slaven Bilic in August 2015 and most recently, Paul Clement in January 2017.
- Roberto Firmino has scored seven goals in his last six Premier League home games for Liverpool. However, the Brazilian has only faced Man Utd (8) and Everton (7) more often than Chelsea (5) without finding the net in the Premier League.
- Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has had a hand in more goals than any other Premier League player this season (28 - 16 goals and 12 assists). The only league season in which the Belgian has been involved in more goals was in 2011/12 with Ligue 1 club Lille (36).
Odds correct as of 1600 BST on 12/04/19
