Liverpool vs. Chelsea preview

Photo by: Feargal Brennan

It’s not often that a clash between ninth and tenth-placed teams in the Premier League draws many eyeballs, especially in mid-January. However, people will not want to miss when Chelsea travel to Anfield to face Liverpool this Saturday at 7:30 a.m ET.

The first meeting between these two clubs was meant to occur on the 17th of September, but it was postponed because of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral a couple of days later. So now, both will face off as they sit at 28 points each in the table.

This match certainly does not have title implications, as both seem out of the race because of how good clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, and Manchester City are playing. However, this could be the springboard game that both clubs desperately need based on their recent run of form.

Chelsea just barely won their last match against a tough Crystal Palace team, but before that, they had only won one of their last six Premier League games. It doesn’t get much better for Liverpool either; while they have won four out of their last seven Premier League matches, the losses they have sustained during that run have been pretty significant.

Losing 2-1 to a 14th-ranked Leeds team, 3-1 to Brentford, and 3-0 at Brighton recently all stick out as games where Liverpool wasn’t unlucky. They were completely outplayed and struggled to really get anything going.

Photo by Johnathan Gorrie

There are also injuries. Out of the big six clubs, these two have been the most devastated by lingering injury problems. The biggest for Liverpool would be along their back line, with Virgil van Dijk being injured in that Brentford game and not expected back for another few weeks.

There’s also Thiago, who seems as healthy as he’s ever been, but you never know with him because he’s missed so many matches in the past. Luis Diaz is still dealing with a knee injury and is not expected back until March. Liverpool also do not expect Diogo Jota back until February; these are even more significant because of Darwin Nunez’s struggles in front of goal since he got to Liverpool.

Chelsea has seen Reece James go down twice to injuries, Christian Pulisic is still out injured, and Kante has never been healthy this season. They recently brought in Aubameyang from Barcelona to help reinforce the attack, but he has also gone down with an injury.

Photo by: Marc Mayo

The way the table is set up now, Tottenham is still in fifth place with 33 points after their recent loss to Manchester City and having played two more games than Chelsea and Liverpool. Whichever team can win on Saturday can move forward just two points away from being in fifth with still a game in hand. The race to finish in the top four will only heat up as the season progresses.