Chelsea play hosts to second-placed Liverpool in Sunday’s crunch league meeting at Stamford Bridge between the two under-fire sides who are struggling to keep pace with Manchester City at the summit.
Thomas Tuchel’s men were held to a 1-1 draw last time around in league football against Brighton which was the third stalemate across the last four games.
Romelu Lukaku’s return to the team sheet brought back some much-needed firepower in the final third as the striker netted the opener on home turf but Brighton left it very late to snatch the leveller and salvage a point.
Liverpool head into the upcoming contest on the back of a defeat to Leicester City with Jurgen Klopp’s Merseysiders themselves on the hunt for a much-needed return to winning ways to keep the hopes of the top flight crown alive.
WHEN AND WHERE?
Next up on the agenda.
🔜 #CheLiv pic.twitter.com/H70TXrWaso
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 30, 2021
Date – 2 January
Time – 4:30 PM GMT
Venue – Stamford Bridge
TEAM NEWS
Reece James and Andreas Christensen emerged as major concerns on the injury front for Chelsea in the aftermath of the Brighton stalemate with thigh and back problems respectively.
Thiago Silva will face a race against time to prove his fitness levels despite the defender key to Thomas Tuchel’s plans of maintaining a solid show at the back against Liverpool.
Midfield man Ruben Loftus-Cheek is unlikely to feature come Sunday with the England international nursing an ankle issue.
PREDICTION
We expect the Stamford Bridge showdown to fizzle out in another draw for Tuchel’s men.
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
