Liverpool lock horns with Chelsea tonight, in what is the headline fixture of the third round of the English League Cup.
The Reds and the Blues are just two of the competition’s most historic sides, with 13 League Cups between them and head into the match at Anfield off the back of respective unbeaten starts to the season.
Liverpool may have re-established themselves as one of Europe’s most feared teams but under Jürgen Klopp, the Merseyside club is yet to win a piece of silverware, coming desperately close to winning the League Cup in the German’s first season in charge.
Since then, they have lost in two European cup finals, while dropping out in the semi-final and third round of the two EFL Cup campaigns following 2015/16, but have strengthened their squad with top class personnel and renewed vigour, meaning the hunt for the 51-year-old’s maiden trophy is still well and truly on.
Opponents Chelsea have a new leader in Maurizio Sarri but the standard of winning trophies at Stamford Bridge hasn’t changed.
The Blues last won the League Cup in the 2014/15 season as part of a league and cup double under then manager José Mourinho and although Sarri admits they may need a year in order to evolve into a side fully capable of challenging on all fronts, he won’t expect the lineup he puts out at Anfield this evening to give any less than what they’re capable of giving in order to achieve success.
Team news
Liverpool are expected to make a number of changes to their starting line-up, with Klopp already announcing one in Simon Mignolet – the Belgian will make his first start of the season, replacing Alisson.
Elsewhere, the Reds boss gave little away on what sort of team he would be fielding on Wednesday night, confirming only that it will be “a very good side”.
Should defender Virgil van Dijk feature in that side, though, he would have to pass a late fitness test, as he hasn’t fully recovered from the rib injury that forced him off against Southampton last Saturday.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have injury doubts in Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Pedro and Antonio Rudiger, so expect a few changes to Sarri’s lineup, which could involve the likes of defenders Gary Cahill, Andreas Christensen and youngsters Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ethan Ampadu.
Eden Hazard will also travel with the matchday squad.
Key battles
There will be a few key battles to look forward to, as each side’s key players look to influence the game positively.
Eden Hazard vs. Nathaniel Clyne
Chelsea’s main man – who was recently named in the FIFPro World XI – will undoubtedly be central to their chances of winning this game on the attack.
His creative movement on and off the ball, coupled with great passing and shooting technique is enough to give Liverpool’s entire defence a thing or two to think about, however, the man who will be primarily required to keep the Belgian quiet should be Nathaniel Clyne.
Quite a job to have on your hands, potentially facing Hazard in your first game of the season, but if Klopp is to be believed then none of his players have given any less than the 100 per cent he requires of them in every aspect, so Clyne should be well prepared to use his strong tackling ability and recovery pace to do a job on his opposing winger.
The winner of this key battle could have a strong influence on the scoreline and ultimately the result itself.
Daniel Sturridge vs. Gary Cahill
A battle between two Englishmen.
Reds striker Daniel Sturridge has been eased back into action very well by his manager and games such as tonight’s offer him more time to display his undoubted talent, so as was the case against Paris Saint-Germain last week, expect him to aim for nothing but the back of the net.
Gary Cahill, meanwhile, should start in place of the injured Rüdiger and will know of Sturridge’s threat all too well, having played with him before. If the 32-year-old is adamant on leaving Chelsea in the January transfer window then tonight’s match presents a chance to put himself on the market by displaying the defensive maturity he is known to have.
The Blues defender will definitely have more than just Sturridge to worry about at Anfield but of all of Liverpool’s attackers, the striker looks most certain to score a goal tonight, so it would be wise for Cahill to keep an eye on him.
N’Golo Kanté vs. EVERYBODY
It’s no exaggeration. You can bet a few quid there will be French dynamite going off all across the Anfield turf.
Such is the influence of Blues midfielder N’Golo Kanté, who possesses such an enviable six-fold package of speed, stamina, vision, strength, tackling ability and ball technique.
Manager Sarri may be tempted to rest him ahead of the second instalment of this fixture, in the Premier League, however, a reminder that Liverpool’s style includes relentlessly quick transitions from defence to attack may change the Italian’s thinking.
Should he play Kanté, the Frenchman’s versatility will be a useful asset to disrupting the home side’s attacking momentum. He won’t limit himself to shackling just one player, but any man in red who represents a danger – he’s that good!
Prediction
Strong side or otherwise, the Anfield factor plays largely into the hands of Liverpool in this cup match.
In all of last season, the Reds lost only once at home and Chelsea haven’t won on Merseyside in almost four years, so it’s clear from the off just who the favourites are heading into this match.
The small issue of squad rotation makes it a tad difficult to assess each team’s core strengths pre-match but a cagey affair with occasional moments of individual brilliance should be expected and Liverpool look set to make it eight wins in all competitions ahead of the clash at Stamford Bridge.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
