Chelsea and Liverpool will lock horn in what is undoubtedly another marquee matchup of Week 7 of the 2018-19 Premier League campaign.
Jurgen Klopp’s team had their unbeaten run punctured by the Blues and Mohammed Salah and his colleagues will hope to avenge their 1-2 loss to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, yesterday.
Last weekend, Chelsea had their 100 per cent to the season halted against West Ham Utd and will be eager to get back to winning ways with their passing game under Italian manager, Maurizio Sarri, at home.
Chelsea has had to rely most times on Eden Hazard, Willian and their midfielders for goals with the duo of Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud struggling in front of goal in the league.
The Blues may however be haunted by three of their former players; Salah, Daniel Sturridge and Dominic Solanke(if he gets to play).
Klopp’s high press will make for a tantalising clash with Sarri’s passing-based system. Expect the Reds to target Jorginho in the buildup and his composure on the ball to prove the difference.
Arsenal are winners of four straight, and they’ll put their good run on the line against early standouts Watford.
The Hornets won their opening four fixtures to climb into the Premier League top four but have since failed to win their last two. Arsenal have struggled on the defensive end and only earned their first clean sheet in Week 6, so this fixture has the potential to be a cracker.
Petr Cech was on top form in the win over Everton and received an endorsement from his coach.
Meanwhile Manchested United is under real pressure after another disappointing showing against Wolves and face a tricky visit to West Ham, who will take momentum from their outing against Chelsea.
Spurs returned to winning ways in Week 6 against Brighton and have a great chance to build on that result against last-placed Huddersfield.
Results of recent matches
11 May 2016 Liverpool v Chelsea D 1-1 Premier League
16 Sep 2016 Chelsea v Liverpool W 1-2 Premier League
31 Jan 2017 Liverpool v Chelsea D 1-1 Premier League
25 Nov 2017 Liverpool v Chelsea D 1-1 Premier League
06 May 2018 Chelsea v Liverpool L 1-0 Premier League
26 Sep 2018 Liverpool v Chelsea L 1-2 League Cup
Head-To-Head
Liverpool v Chelsea
Games won: 77
Games drawn: 40
Games lost: 63
Possible Lineups
CHELSEA: Arizabalaga, Marcos, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Rudiger, Kante, Jorginho, Willian, Hazard, Pedro, Giroud
LIVERPOOL: Alison, Robertson, Milner, Van Dijk, Gomez, Wijanldum, Henderson, Sturridge, Salah, Firmino, Sane
DID YOU KNOW?
1. 13 of Michail Antonio’s 22 goals in all competitions for West Ham have been scored with his head (59%).
2. Danny Welbeck is the first Premier League player to score in three different club competitions this season (League, Europa League and CarabaoCup).
3. Before last night, Liverpool haven’t beaten Chelsea at home in any competition since May 2012 in the Premier League (4-1), drawing five and losing two since.
4. This is the first time both Arsenal and Tottenham are playing ‘home’ games on the same day since 12th March 1988: Tottenham 1-3 Norwich (Division One), Arsenal 1-2 Nottingham Forest (FA Cup).
5. Man Utd have lost each of their last five penalty shoot-outs in all competitions (3x League Cup, 1x FA Cup, 1x Community Shield).
6. Phil Foden (18 years, 120 days) is the first player born since the turn of the millennium to score a competitive goal for Manchester City in any competition.
7. Sergio Romero is the first Man Utd player to receive a straight red card at Old Trafford in any competition since Eric Bailly did so back in May 2017 against Celta Vigo in the Europa League.
8. Harry Wilson is the first player to score a direct free-kick against Man Utd in the League Cup at Old Trafford since Giles Barnes back in January 2009, also for Derby County.
9. Jordan Rhodes is the first Norwich City player to score a hat-trick in the EFL Cup since Grant Holt did so back in August 2009 against Yeovil. The striker has also scored in each of his six starts in the League Cup, including netting braces in four of those matches (10 goals in total).
10. Gabriel Jesus has scored in each of his last three starts away from home for Man City in all competitions (3 goals in total).
11. Juan Mata has scored his first Man Utd goal since netting twice at the King Power Stadium in the Premier League back in December 2017, 276 days ago.
12. The holders of the League Cup haven’t lost a tie against third tier opposition since October 1997, when Leicester City were beaten 3-1 by Grimsby Town.
13. In the Premier League era, three of the four teams to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the League Cup have been from outside the top-flight – York City in September 1995, Coventry City in September 2007 and Crystal Palace in November 2011.
14. Arsenal has won 97 top-flight games against Everton – at least 11 more than any side has managed against another in its history.
15. Since his Premier League debut, only Mohamed Salah (16) has scored more goals in the competition than Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (12).
16. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette have both scored in three of the last five Premier League matches in which they have started together.
