A round-up of the latest Liverpool news as Alan Shearer predicts the Reds’ match with Chelsea and Mark Lawrenson touts Trent Alexander-Arnold’s stance on a free transfer.
Chris Sutton doubts Alisson’s injury will stop Liverpool from beating Chelsea
Chris Sutton doubts Chelsea will ‘dominate’ Liverpool this Sunday, even with the Reds forced to play Caoimhin Kelleher with Alisson Becker ruled out through injury. The Brazilian is set to be sidelined through, at least, the November international break due to his hamstring injury.
Alisson sustained the injury in Liverpool’s 1-0 win away at Crystal Palace before the October internationals. It marked his second injury of the season, too, after the goalkeeper had to sit out the Reds’ 3-0 win at home to AFC Bournemouth with a muscle issue as Kelleher came in.
Vitezslav Jaros made his Liverpool debut at Selhurst Park when Alisson suffered his injury at Crystal Palace. Kelleher was absent in south London due to illness, so Sutton backs the 25-year-old to face Chelsea and be enough for Liverpool to cope without Alisson after his injury.
“Can Chelsea go to Anfield and dominate Liverpool? I am not so sure,” Sutton explained with the BBC. “Alisson’s injury is a blow for the Reds but Caoimhin Kelleher is a very capable back-up in goal.”
Read more about Sutton’s prediction for Liverpool vs Chelsea in the Premier League, here.
Alan Shearer predicts the midfield battle to dictate Liverpool vs Chelsea
All-time Premier League top goalscorer Alan Shearer believes whoever dictates the midfield will win when Liverpool host Chelsea on Sunday. Yet Shearer would not be surprised if Blues boss Enzo Maresca settles for just a point even with Arne Slot without Alisson with an injury.
Chelsea head to Anfield for the headline fixture of Gameweek 8 in the 16:30 kick-off looking to knock Liverpool off the top of the Premier League table. The Reds enter the weekend one point from Manchester City and Arsenal while the Blues are four points back in fourth place.
The Stamford Bridge outfit have also not won at Anfield since March 2021, drawing five and losing one of their following six trips in the Premier League. And Shearer expects that run to continue, as long as Liverpool’s impressive midfield wins the battle with their Chelsea rivals.
“The key battle will be in midfield, where I think Liverpool have been strong,” Shearer said via The Metro. “Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have been superb, alongside Dominik Szoboszlai.
“The international break always makes it a little bit tougher to call, as you wait to see how players are when the return to their clubs, whether they’re ready or not to start the game.
“If everyone is fit and everyone plays, that midfield battle will be key, and I think Liverpool will come out on top.”
Read more about Shearer’s prediction for Liverpool vs Chelsea in the Premier League, here.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has ‘already agreed’ a transfer to Real Madrid
Liverpool icon Mark Lawrenson thinks Trent Alexander-Arnold has ‘already agreed’ to a free transfer to Real Madrid. He believes the 26-year-old has already decided to leave Anfield for the first time in his career and join Jude Bellingham with the Galacticos for a new challenge.
Alexander-Arnold completed the full set of major trophies with Liverpool, the club he joined aged six, before the Scouser celebrated his 24th birthday. But the Reds are very much at risk of losing one of their own for free in 2025 with Alexander-Arnold out of contract on June 30.
Efforts remain ongoing at Anfield as Liverpool look to persuade Alexander-Arnold to agree to a new contract. But as his deal ticks down, Lawrenson feels the writing is already on the wall as the right-back may want to join his friend Bellingham at the Santiago Bernabeu next year.
“I think he has already agreed to go, to be honest with you, because his big mate plays there, doesn’t he?” Lawrenson told talkSPORT.
“He is one of those lads who is very well educated and he’s thinking, ‘You know what? I have done everything at Liverpool maybe I have got to go to Spain [and] learn the language’. Why wouldn’t you want to play for Real Madrid? They win the Champions League every year.”
Read more about what Lawrenson shared about Alexander-Arnold’s contract situation, here.
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