Liverpool vs Chelsea Prediction: Blues Dom-inated again

Movable force meets stoppable object in the Premier League's Saturday lunchtime kick-off (12:30 BST, TNT Sports 1) this weekend as Liverpool host Chelsea at Anfield. The Reds were beaten 3-2 at arch-rivals Manchester United last Sunday, their sixth defeat from their last nine games, while a day later, Chelsea were crushed 3-1 at home by Nottingham Forest's second-string side, making it six consecutive league losses for the Blues.

Below are my Liverpool vs Chelsea predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Giovanni Leoni (all knee) and Wataru Endo (foot) are all ruled out for Arne Slot's Liverpool this weekend due to injury.

Alisson Becker, Alexander Isak (both muscle) and Mohamed Salah (thigh) are likely to sit out again, too, with none of the Reds trio in training this week.

Football Odds

Estevao (hamstring) remains sidelined for Chelsea, while Jesse Derry, who made his Premier League debut against Forest on Monday, is observing concussion protocols after he was forced off in the first half of that defeat.

Jamie Gittens (hamstring) could miss out again for the Blues, but interim boss Calum McFarlane could be boosted by the returns of Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho, both of whom missed out on Monday with knocks.

Robert Sanchez is doubtful after being taken off against Forest with a head injury.

Liverpool vs Chelsea Odds

Liverpool, who won last season's corresponding fixture 2-1 in October 2024, are 9/10 favourites on Saturday, implying a 52.6% probability of success. Chelsea, who triumphed 2-1 in October's reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge thanks to an stoppage-time strike from Estevao, are 13/5, or a 27.8% chance, to end their rotten run of results with a victory on Merseyside.

The draw is priced at 16/5, with both teams to score at 2/5 and over 3.5 total goals at 1/1.

Anytime Goalscorer - Dominik Szoboszlai (LIV) @ 5/2

With Salah, Isak and Ekitike all out injured last weekend, a lot of pressure was placed upon the shoulders of Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo to carry the attacking burden for Liverpool.

While Wirtz wilted under the pressure at Old Trafford, Szoboszlai and Gakpo both stepped up, with the former scoring his side's first goal in the 47th minute before setting up the latter nine minutes later.

That goal was Szoboszlai's first since he opened the scoring in the Reds' 4-0 victory over Galatasaray in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie on March 18, and his first in the Premier League since opening the scoring in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur three days prior.

Four of the Hungary international's last five goals have come at Anfield, and eight of his 13 for the season have come on home soil.

The 25-year-old has scored against four of the Premier League's 'Big Six' this term, netting against Arsenal, Manchester City and Spurs at Anfield before last week's strike against Man United at Old Trafford. He'll be looking to complete the set on Saturday against a Chelsea side that has lost their last six league games, shipping three goals in four of their last five.

Szoboszlai already has a goal against Chelsea at Anfield in his collection, having found the net in Liverpool's 4-1 victory over the Blues in February 2024, and he looks well positioned to double his tally against the west London club this weekend.

Player to Receive a Card - Enzo Fernandez (CHE) @ 11/4

Enzo Fernandez doesn't hide his frustration well, and we could see his anger with Chelsea's current position, and his, boil over at Anfield on Saturday.

The 25-year-old, who wasn't selected for two games last month due to comments he made about his future, has been booked 11 times this season, with eight of those yellows coming in 33 Premier League appearances.

Surprisingly, Fernandez hasn't received a card in any of his last 10 outings for club or country, but can he extend this run to 11? I'm not so sure.

The Argentina international has been booked twice in seven career appearances against Liverpool, earning a caution home and away in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

He committed two fouls in this season's reverse fixture, and on Saturday, he's likely to be in a midfield battle with Ryan Gravenberch and compatriot Alexis Mac Allister, who are averaging 1.3 and 1.2 fouls won per 90, respectively, in the Premier League.

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