The 2023/2024 Premier League season kicks off this Friday with Champions Manchester City facing the EFL Championship’s winners, Burnley. However, it’s the game on Sunday between Chelsea and Liverpool that has football fans licking their lips.
Chelsea and Liverpool are two of the biggest teams in English football, and whenever the two meet, it is always a highly anticipated clash. Despite their reputation, both teams had an underwhelming season last year. Considering this, both teams will be eager to be on the front foot and get off to a strong start, aiming to boost their confidence and ultimately get their fans back on board again.
The past season was one to forget for Chelsea fans after the Blues ended their campaign in 12th place. This was tough to take, considering the club’s strong history, and it is worth remembering that they were only crowned the champions of Europe three years ago.
Chelsea fans now have fresh hope in the form of Mauricio Pochettino and will be looking forward to seeing if he can turn the club’s fortunes around, similar to how Antonio Conte did in the 2016/2017 season when he took over after the club finished 10th the year before.
Liverpool didn’t have the best season either after missing out on the Champions League, but unlike Chelsea finished the season strongly. Many pundits believe they can still benefit from a few more signings, but no one can deny that their best eleven has plenty of quality.
Chelsea Vs Liverpool Tips
The stage is all set for an intense battle, but considering how Chelsea are likely to set up for this game, we don’t expect the net to bulge that often. Klopp’s aggressive approach will surely test Chelsea’s defensive resilience under Pochettino, but breaking through his organized defense might prove to be a difficult task.
Chelsea, despite being crowned winners of the Premier League Summer Series Cup, hasn’t exactly had a preseason that has resulted in their fans bursting with anticipation. Their transfer dealings have been unprecedented, with many players who were brought in last season still needing to gel. But with injuries plaguing their ranks and the departure of some of their best attackers to rivals, it is hard to see them being a big offensive threat in this game.
Liverpool scored 19 goals in their last five games during pre-season and will be looking to carry forward this momentum with players like Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, and the returning Luiz Diaz.
Odds for Mo Salah to score first: 5.10 sb.io
Chelsea Vs Liverpool Match Analysis
The tactical battle between Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino is set to take center stage as Chelsea and Liverpool prepare for their showdown. Both managers have their own unique philosophies and will be looking to outmatch each other making this game not just a clash between the players but also a masterclass in modern football tactics.
Klopp, known for his “Gegenpressing” style of play, will likely have Liverpool pushing with high intensity, trying to win the ball back quickly and then hitting the opponents with counterattacks.
Liverpool has utilized this style of play well with players like Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the past, helping the team score a flurry of goals in quick succession. New signings Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai will be crucial in aiding these efforts and adding creativity to Liverpool’s midfield, something that they desperately needed since last season.
On the other end of the touchline, Mauricio Pochettino will be using his favored high-pressing and possession-based style of football, making use of his fluid formation that lets players quickly go from defense to attack. This approach has contributed to his success in the past and has made life difficult for his opponents, who have a tough time figuring out how to break past Pochettino’s organized units.
Pochettino has a big challenge in improving Chelsea’s attack, and to say they had trouble in this department last season would be the kindest of observations. Even though he has many new faces to work with, new signing Christopher Nkunku, who was supposed to change the outlook of their forward line, picked up a serious injury recently, and without him, it is not obvious where the goals are coming from.
Odds for Liverpool to score first: 1.869 PS3838
Chelsea Vs Liverpool Predictions
Chelsea have gone through significant changes since last year. Mauricio Pochettino is already the fourth manager since Thomas Tuchel was questionably sacked and is taking over an influx of signings made by previous management and also dealing with notable exits.
This is going to be quite a transformation journey, and we expect Chelsea to take some time before they find their feet and once again become the mighty force that are capable of putting up a strong challenge for the title.
Liverpool, on the other hand, will be looking to begin the new season on a high, and with Klopp leading them, it is hard to imagine their players won’t be right at it from minute one. Of course, it won’t be a walk in the park for them, and we do expect a tight match, but considering recent developments, Liverpool are more likely to come out triumphant.
Liverpool looks ready to continue their good form from the preseason into the Premier League, while Chelsea, despite having the potential, might need a bit more time to get their playing style sorted under Pochettino.
Odds for Liverpool to win 2-0: 15.180 BLACK
Novosti o Čelzi Sastavu
Chelsea’s squad has seen a dramatic change since their last matchday, with many signings coming in, but at the same time, they’ve also trimmed down their squad considerably. The club has seen the departure of key figures like Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana are sidelined with long-term knee injuries, and Benoit Badiashile has a thigh injury with a possible return by end-August. Armando Broja and Chukwunonso Madueke’s returns are also anticipated soon, while Marcus Bettinelli’s status remains unclear.
Liverpool News and Squad
Jurgen Klopp’s side looks more stable in comparison to Chelsea, even though they have also had major outgoings. Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all left the club permanently while Fabio Carvalho has left on loan, but it is unlikely that they will be missed too much on the playing front.
On the brighter side, the squad sees the addition of promising talents like Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, and with Luiz Diaz returning from injury, the Reds look set for a strong start. Klopp will be desperate to start the season well to banish all previous negative feelings that existed last season quickly.
Jurgen Klopp has to strategize around a few injuries as well as they kick off the season. Thiago Alcantara faces a groin issue that might keep him out until the end of August, and Stefan Bajcetic Maquieira is also recovering from a similar injury, though he’s expected to resume team training soon.
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