THE DETAILS
Venue – Anfield, Liverpool
Referee – Andre Marriner
Date & Time – Wednesday, July 22nd @ 20:15
Current Odds – Liverpool 1/1, Draw 11/4, Chelsea 5/2
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Wednesday night sees Liverpool’s last home game of the season and the presentation of the Premier League trophy. This fantastic journey we are on with Jürgen Klopp’s Redmen sees more silverware added to the trophy list at Anfield. Who knows where or what next season will bring us? Well done, Jürgen. Well done, Reds. Thank you for everything over the last couple of years. Now let’s try and keep it going.
FORM
Liverpool Form
Liverpool lost 2-1 at Arsenal last week despite dominating possession and having 24 shots on goal throughout the game. Two out-of-character errors – one from Virgil van Dijk, the other from Alisson – gifted The Gunners with their goals as The Reds fell to their third defeat of the season. Two of those defeats came after Liverpool were confirmed as Premier League champions on June 25th.
The Reds will be keen to take at least a point on Wednesday night as they prepare for the official trophy presentation which will follow the game.
Chelsea Form
Chelsea just booked their place in this season’s FA Cup final, beating Manchester United 3-1 on Sunday. Frank Lampard’s side knows that just one more point from their remaining two games will guarantee them a top-four finish and Champions League football next season. Chelsea will certainly be up for this one.
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool Team News
Joël Matip and Jordan Henderson are out for the last two games while James Milner is also a doubt because of the muscle injury he picked up in the 0-0 draw at Everton in June.
I think Naby Keïta will get the nod to start ahead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in midfield and Klopp will likely go full-strength in attack with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané.
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea are without young midfielder Billy Gilmour who has a knee injury. N’Golo Kanté is also likely to miss Wednesday night’s game with a hamstring issue.
Lampard seemed to use a 3-4-3 shape against Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final win on Sunday night. However, it’s unlikely he’ll go with that formation against Liverpool and their three-pronged frontline at Anfield.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Liverpool XI (4-3-3) – Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keïta; Salah, Firmino, Mané
Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1) – Kepa; Azpilicueta, Rüdiger, Zouma, Alonso; Barkley, Jorginho, Kovacic; Willian, Giroud, Pulisic
WHEN THEY LAST MET
Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-0 when the sides met in the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge back in March. Goals from Willian and Ross Barkley winning the game for The Pensioners.
Liverpool won 2-1 at Chelsea in the league last September. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino gave The Reds a two-goal lead at half-time before a wonder strike from N’Golo Kanté pulled one back in the second half.
Jürgen Klopp’s men beat Chelsea 2-0 the last time the sides met at Anfield with goals from Sadio Mané and *that* effort from Mohamed Salah.
PREDICTION
LIVERPOOL 2 – 2 CHELSEA
Wednesday night’s game is extremely unpredictable given Liverpool’s recent results. There should be goals. That’s all you can really count on in this game. Chelsea will be well up for this game as they look to secure Champions League football for next season. The Reds never lost at home, though, and definitely won’t want to on the night they are to receive the Premier League trophy.
