Mohamed Salah will be out to prove a point against his former side when Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday the 25th of November.
Excitement is building as Liverpool aims to bounce back to winning ways, facing off against one of England’s football powerhouses, Chelsea, this Saturday. Currently separated by a mere three points, both teams have been in superb form heading into this match. Chelsea, riding high on a streak of four consecutive league wins, have thrived with Eden Hazard playing just behind their £70 million man, Alvaro Morata. Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side is buzzing with confidence, largely thanks to former Chelsea star Mohamed Salah – the Premier League’s top scorer with nine goals. Salah will be driven to prove the Blues made a huge error in letting him leave, if anyone still has doubts about his quality.
Liverpool 21/20 | Draw 5/2 | Chelsea 24/10
Liverpool is eyeing a fourth consecutive league victory when Chelsea visits this weekend. The Reds boast an impressive unbeaten run over the Blues, holding the upper hand with no losses in seven meetings across all competitions.
Playing at home at Anfield, Liverpool remains undefeated this season, securing wins in four of their six games. Impressively, their defensive record on home turf is unmatched in England, having conceded just one goal – tied with Manchester United.
Despite criticisms of their defence earlier in the season, Liverpool has managed to keep clean sheets in five out of six matches so far. Coupled with their potent attacking force, they prove to be a formidable challenge for any opponent.
When Liverpool signed Salah for £34.3 million, many, including myself, questioned the decision, considering him a rejected Chelsea talent. However, this season has silenced doubters completely.
Salah’s calm demeanour, exquisite left foot, and remarkable pace remain key assets. Jurgen Klopp recently praised Salah’s growth since his Chelsea days, commenting that the player has matured significantly.
“He’s not like ‘now I will show you the real Mo Salah’,” Klopp mentioned, as quoted by Goal.
“He’s completely relaxed. For sure he wanted to show a little bit he’s better than that, but everyone knew it already.
“He was a kid when he came to Chelsea, and we have heard a few times that’s quite difficult, and at that time they were really successful. It was quite difficult to come through.
“He’s a man now, he was a kid at Chelsea, now he’s a man. That’s good,” Klopp concluded.
With pacey teammates like Sadio Mane on the flanks, alongside creative forces Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, Liverpool looks unstoppable going forward.
Chelsea aims to break their challenging run against Liverpool as they attempt to extend their lead to six points in the league. Although they haven’t beaten the Reds in seven matches, Chelsea remains unbeaten at Anfield in six encounters.
While much attention has been on Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham, Chelsea has quietly been performing well and currently sits third in the league.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea has been somewhat inconsistent this season, but their away form has been stellar. They hold the second highest goals scored away record and the league’s second best defence, both only behind Manchester City.
£70 million signing Alvaro Morata has quickly made an impact, contributing to 12 goals in 11 games and winning over the Chelsea fans who once favoured Diego Costa.
Morata has scored five goals on the road and has developed a formidable partnership with Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas. Hazard remains the reliable go-to man for Chelsea. After a resounding 4-0 victory over West Brom at the Hawthorns, Manager Antonio Conte praised the front duo of Morata and Hazard and hopes for continued success.
“I would like to speak about the performance of the whole team because today [Saturday] we showed great compactness and great focus,” said Conte.
“But for sure, there is a good link with the two strikers, Morata and Hazard. I hope they continue in this way. If you want to do something important, it is very important to find stability and find the right balance,” he concluded.
Chelsea can be a formidable opponent on any given day, with stars like Hazard, Morata and Fabregas leading the charge, all under the strategic guidance of Conte.
Probable line-ups:
Liverpool: 4-3-3
Mignolet; Gomez, Matip, Lovren, Moreno; Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Chelsea: 3-5-1-1
Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Bakayoko, Alonso; Hazard; Morata.
Verdict: Liverpool Win/Draw & Both Teams to Score (11/10)
This match promises to be a thrilling contest. I don’t foresee Liverpool losing at home despite Chelsea’s threats. Clean sheets are unlikely with both teams boasting strong attacking players. Chelsea’s left wing-back Marcos Alonso will have his hands full against Salah, and with Adam Lallana’s return, Liverpool’s midfield gains additional strength. For those looking for betting options, the Win/Draw double chance combined with both teams scoring is a solid choice. For punters looking to spice it up, backing Salah and Morata both to score at 9/2 looks exciting.
